THE MAHABHARATA
OF
KRISHNA-DWAIPAYANA VYASA
Translated into English prose from the
original Sanskrit Text.
BY
PRATAP CHANDRA ROY, C* I. E.
VQL III
VANA PARVA
( Last Part )
ORIENTAL PUBLISHING CO.
11D, ARPULI LANE
CALCUTTA-12
Published by
Dhircndra Nath Bose
38 A, Motijheel Avenve
Calcutta-28
A
[Second Edition]
DEC 31965 l
1027454
Printed by
D. P. Bou
At the
JOYNARAYAN PRESS
11D. Arpuli Lane
Calcutta-12
THE MAHABHARATA
VANA PARVA
CONTENTS
SECTION : CXIV—CLV
Tirtha-Yatra Parva ... ... ... 249—328
SECTION : CLVI
Jatasura-BadhaParva ... ... ... 328—331
SECTION : CLVII— CLXIV
Yaksha-Yuddha Parva ... ... ... 331—349
SECTION : CLXV— CLXXV
Nivata-Kavaoha-Yuddha Parva ... ... ... 349—370
SECTION: CLXXVI— CLXXX
Ajagara Parva ... ... ... 371 — 381
SECTION : CLXXXI— CCXXX
Markandeya Samasya Parva ... ... ... 382 — 505
SECTION : CCXXXI— CCXXXIII
Draupadi-Satyabhama Samvada Parva ... ... 505—510
SECTION: CCXXXIV— CCLX
Ghosha-Yatra Parva ... ... ... 511—553
SECTION : CCLXI— CCLXL
Draupadi-harana Parva ... ... ... 553—623
SECTION : CCLXLI— CCLXLVII
Pativrata-Mahatmya Parva ... ... ... 624—640
SECTION : CCLXLVIII-CCCVIII
Knndala-harana Parva ... ... ... 640—656
SECTION: CCCIX-CCCXIII
Aranya Parva ... ... ... 656—680
SECTION CXIV
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Then, O Janamejaya, the son of Pandu started
from the river Kausiki and repaired in succession to all the sacred
shrines. And, 0 protector of men, he came to the sea where the river
Ganga falls into it ; and there in the centre of five hundred rivers, he
performed the holy ceremony of a plunge. Then, O ruler of the earth,
accompanied by his brothers, the valiant prince proceeded by the shore
of the sea towards the land where the Kalinga tribes dwell.' "
"Lomasa said, 'There is the land, O Kunti's son, where the
Kalinga tribes dwell. Through it passeth the river Vaitarani, on the banks
whereof even the god of virtue performed religious rites, having first
placed himself under the protection of the celestials. Verily this is the
northern bank, inhabited by saints, suitable for the performance of reli-
gious rites beautified by a hill, and frequented by persons of the regene-
rate caste. This spot ( in holiness ) rivals the path whereby a virtuous
man, fit for going to heaven, repairs to the region inhabited by gods.
And verily at this spot in former times, other saints likewise worshipped
the immortals by the performance of religious rites. And at the very
spot it was that the god Eudra, O king of kings, seized the sacrificial
beast and exclaimed, 'This is my share' ! O chief of the descendants of
Bharata I Then when the beast was carried away by Siva, the gods spake
to him saying, 'Cast not a covetous glance at the property of others,
disregarding all the righteous rules.' Then they addressed words of glori-
fication of a pleasing kind to the god Eudra. And they satisfied him by
offering a sacrifice, and paid him suitable honours. Thereupon he gave
up the beast, and went by the path trodden by the gods. Thereupon
what happened to Eudra, learn from me, 0 Yudhishthira ! Influenced
by the dread of Eudra, the gods set apart for evermore, the best allot-
ment out of all shares, such as was fresh and not stale ( to be appropria-
ted by the god ). Whosoever performs his ablutions at this spot, while
reciting this ancient story, beholds with his mortal eyes the path that
leads to the region of the gods."
Vaisampayana said, "Then all the sons of Pandu and likewise the
daughter of Drupada — all of whom were the favoured of Fate
descended to the river Vaitarani, and made libations to the names of
their fathers."
Yudhishthira said, "0 Lomasa, how great must be the force of a
pious deed ! Having taken my bath at this spot in a proper form, I seem
to touch no more the region inhabited by mortal men ! 0 saint of a
virtuous life, I am beholding all the regions. And this is the noise of the
magnanimous dwellers of the wood, whe are reciting their audible prayers."
1
250 MAEABHARATA
"Lomasa said, 'O Yudhishfchira, the place whence this noise
comes and reaches thy ears is at the distance of three hundred thousand
yojanas, to be sure. O lord of men, rest thou quiet and utter no word.
O king, this is the divine forest of the Self-existent One, which hath now
come to our view. There, O king, Viswakarma of a dreaded name per-
formed religious rites. On the mighty occasion of that sacrifice, the
Self-existent One made a gift of this entire earth with all its hilly and
forest tracts, to Kasyapa, by way of gratuity, for ministering as a priest.
And then, 0 Kuru's son, as soon as that goddess, Earth was giving
away, she became sad at heart, and wrathfully spake the following
words to that great lord, the ruler of the worlds, '0 mighty god, it is
unworthy of thee to give me away to an ordinary mortal. And this act
of gift on thy part will come to nothing ; ( for ) here am I going to
descend into the bottom of the nether world.' Then when the blessed
saint Kasyapa beheld the goddess Earth, despondent and sad, he, O
protector of men, performed a propitiatory act calculated to appease
her wrath. And then, O Pandu's son, the Earth was pleased with his
pious deed. And she uprose again from within the waters, and showed
herself in the form of a sacred altar. This, O king, is the spot which
distinctly manifests the form of an altar. O great monarch, ascend over
it, and thou wilt gain valour and strength. And, O king, this is the
very altar which reaches as far as the sea, and rests itself upon its bosom.
May good luck be thine, do thou mount hereupon, and of thyself cross
the sea. And while thou this day mountest upon it, I shall administer the
ceremony for averting all evil from thee ; for this altar here, as scon as
it gets a mortal's touch, at once enters into the sea. Salutation to the
god who protects the universe ! Salutation to thee that art beyond the universe !
0 Lord of gods ! vouchsafe thy presence in this sea. 0 Pandu's son, thcu
must recite the following words of truth, and while so reciting, thou
must quickly ascend this altar : 'The god of fire, and the sun, and the
organ of generation, and water, and goddess and the seed of Vishnu, and
the navel of nectar. The god of fire is the organ that generated the
(ocean) ; the earth is thy body ; Vishnu deposited the seed that caused
thy being and thou art the navel of nectar.' Thus, 0 Pandu's son,
the words of truth must be audibly recited, and while so reciting, one
must plunge into the lord of rivers- 0 most praiseworthy of Kunti's
son, otherwise this lord of waters of divine birth, this best storehouse
of the waters ( of the earth ), should not be touched, O son of Kunti,
even with the end of a sacred grass.' "
Vaisampayana said, "Then when the ceremony for averting evil
had been completed in his behalf, the magnanimous Yudhishthira went
into the sea, and having performed all that the saint had bid, repaired
to the skirts of the Mahendra hill, and spent the night at that spot."
SECTION CXV
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued]
Vaisampayana said, "The protector of the earth spent there a single
night, and with his brothers, paid the highest honours to the religious men.
And Lomasa made him acquainted with the names of all of them, such as
the Bhrigus, the Angiras, the Vasishthas, and the Kasyapas. And the royal
saint paid visit to them all and made obeisance to them with joined palms.
And then he asked the valiant Akritavrana, who was a follower of Parasu-
rama, when will the revered Parasurama show himself to the religious men
here ? It is desired on that occasion to obtain a sight of the descendant of
Bhrigu."
"Akritavrana said, 'Thy journey to this spot is already known to
Kama, whose soul spontaneously knows everything. And he is in every
way well pleased with thee, and he will show himself readily to thee. And
the saints who practise penances here, are permitted to see him on the
fourteenth and the eighth day of the lunar course. On the morrow at the
end of this very night there will set in the fourteenth day of the lunar
course. On that occasion thou wilt have a sight of him, clad in a sable deer
skin, and wearing his hair in the form of a matted mass.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'Thou hast been a follower of the mighty Eama,
Jamadagni's son ; thou must, therefore, have been the eye-witness of all
the deeds achieved by him in former days. I, therefore, request thee to
narrate to me how the members of the military caste were vanquished by
Eama on the field of battle, and what the original cause of those conflicts
was.'
"Akritavrana said, 'With pleasure shall I recite to thee that excellent
story, 0 Bharata's son, O chief of kings, the story of the godlike deeds of
Rama, the son of Jamadagni, who traced his origin to Bhrigu's race. I
shall also relate the achievements of the great ruler of the Haihaya tribe.
That king, Arjuna by name the mighty lord of the Haihaya tribe was killed
by Eama. He, O Pandu's son, was endued with a thousand arms ; and
by the favour of Dattatreya he likewise had a celestial car made of gold.
And, 0 protector of the earth, his rule extended over the entire animated
world, wheresoeever located on this earth. And the car of that mighty
monarch could proceed everywhere in an unobstructed course. And grown
resistless by the virtue of a granted boon, he ever mounted on that car,
trampled upon gods and Yakshas and saints on all sides round. And all
the born beings wheresoever placed, were harassed by him. Then the celes-
tials and the saints of a rigidly virtuous life, met together, and thus spake
to Vishnu, the god of gods, the slayer of demons, and possessed of prowess
that never failed, saying, 'O blessed and revered lord, for the purpose of
preserving all the born beings, it is necessary that Arjuna should be killed
252 MAHABHAEATA
by thee.' And the mighty ruler of the Haihaya tribe placing himself on
his celestial car, affronted Indra, while that deity was enjoying himself
with Sachi, his queen. Then, 0 Bharata's son, the blessed and the revered
god ( Vishnu ) held a consultation with Indra, with a view to destroying
Kartavirya's son. And on that occasion, all that was for the good of the
world of beings, was communicated by the lord of gods • and the blessed god
worshipped by the world, to do all that was necessary, went to the delight-
ful Vadari wood which was his own chosen retreat for practising penances.
And at this very time there lived on the earth a mighty monarch in the
land of Kanyakuvja, a sovereign whose military force was exceedingly great.
And his name of Gadhi was famous in the world. He, however, betook
himself to a forest life. And while he was ^dwelling in the midst of the
wood, there was born to him a daughter beautiful as a nymph of heaven.
And Eichika, the son of Bhrigu, asked for her to be united with himself in
marriage. And then Gadhi spake to that Brahmana, who led a rigidly
austere life, saying, 'There is a certain family custom in our race : it hath
been founded by my ancestors of a bygone age. And, 0 most excellent of
the sacerdotal cast, be it known to thee that the intending bridegroom
must offer a dowry consisting of a thousand fleet steeds, whose colour must
be brown and every one of whom must possess a single sable ear. But,
0 Bhrigu's son, a reverend saint like thee cannot be asked to offer the
same. Nor can my daughter be refused to a magnanimous saint of thy
(exalted) rank.' Thereupon Eichika said, 'I will give thee a thousand fleet
steeds, brown in hue and possessing a single sable ear : let thy daughter be
given in marriage to me.'
"Akritavrana said, 'Thus having given his word, 0 king, he went
and said to "Varuna, 'Give me a thousand fleet steeds brown in colour, and
each with one black ear. I want the same as dowry for my marriage.' To
him Varuna forthwith gave a thousand steeds. Those steeds had issued
out of the river Ganga ; hence the spot hath been named : The horses
landing place. And in the city of Kanyakuvja, the daughter of Gadhi,
Satyavati by name, was given in marriage ; and the gods themselves were
of the party of the bride. Eichika, the most excellent of the sacerdotal
caste, thus procured a thousand steeds, and had a sight of the dwellers of
heaven and won a wife in the proper form. And he enjoyed himself with
the girl of slender waist, and thus gratified all the wishes and desire that he
ever had. And when the marriage had been celebrated, 0 king, his father
Bhrigu came on a visit to see him and his wife ; and he was glad to
see his praiseworthy son. And the husband and wife together paid their
best respects to him, who was worshipped by all the gods. And when he had
seated himself, they both with joined palms, stood near him, in order that
they might do his bidding. And then the revered saint, Bhrigu, glad at
heart, thus spoke to his daughter-in-law, saying, *O lovely daughter, as
VANA PABVA 253
for a boon I am ready to grant thee any object of thy wish.' And there-
upon she asked for his favour in this, that a son might be born to both
herself and her mother. And he vouchsafed the favour thus asked for.
"Bhrigu said, 'During the days that your season lasts, thou and thy
mother must take a bath, with the ceremony for bringing forth a male
child. And ye two must then separately embrace two different trees — she
a peepal tree, and thou a fig tree. And, 0 dutiful girl, here are two pots
of rice and milk, prepared by me with the utmost care. I having ransacked
the whole universe to find the drugs, the essence whereof hath been blended
with this milk and rice. It must be taken as food with the greatest care.'
And saying this, he vanished from sight. The two ladies, however, made
an interchange both in the matter of the pots of rice, and likewise as
regards the trees ( to be embraced by each ). Then after the lapse of very
many days, the revered saint, once more came. And he came knowing
(what had happened) by his attribute of divine knowledge. Then Bhrigu
possessed of mighty strength, spake to Satyavati, his daughter in-law,
saying, '0 dutiful girl ! 0 my daughter of a lovely brow, the worng pot of
rice thou tookst as food. And it was the wrong tree which was embraced
by thee. It was thy mother who deluded thee. A son will be born of thee,
who, though of the priestly caste, will be of a character fit for the military
order ; while a mighty son will be born of thy mother, who, though by
birth a Kshatriya will assume a life suitable to the sacerdotal order. And
his power will be great, and he will walk on the path trodden by righteous
men.' Then she entreated her father-in-law again and again, saying, 'Let
not my son be of this character ; but let my grandson be such.' And, 0
Pandu's son, he replied, 'So let it be !' And thus he was pleased to grant
her prayer. Then she brought forth on the expected day a son by name
Jamadagni. And this son of Bhrigu was endowed with both splendour and
grace. And he grew in years and in strength, and excelled the other saints
in the proficiency of his Vaidik lore. 0 chieftain of Bharata's race, to him,
rivalling in lustre the author of light ( the sun ), came spontaneously and
without instruction the knowledge of the entire military art and of the
fourfold missile arms.' "
SECTION CXVI
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Akritavrana said, 'Jamadagni devoted himself to the study of the
Veda and the practice of sacred penances, and became famous for his great
austerities Then he pursued a methodical course of study and obtained a
mastery over the entire Veda. And, O king, he paid a visit to Prasena-
jit and solicited the hand of Eenuka in marriage. And this prayer was
granted by the king. And the delight of Bhrigu's race having thus obtained
Benuka for his wife, took his residence with her in a hermitage, and began
to practise penances, being assisted by her. And four boys were
born of her, with Eama for the fifth. And although the youngest, Eama
was superior to all in merit. Now once upon a time, when her sons had
gone out for the purpose of gathering fruits, Eenuka who had a pure and
austere life, went out to bathe. And, O king, while returninc; home, she
happened to cast her glance towards the king of Martikavata, known by
the name of Chitraratha. The king was in the water with his wives, and
wearing on his breast a lotus wreath, was engaged in sport. And beholding
his magnificent form, Eenuka was inspired with desire. And this unlawful
desire she could not control, but became polluted within the water, and
came back to the hermitage frightened at heart. Her husband readily
perceived what state she was in. And mighty and powerful and of a
wrathful turn of mind, when he beheld that she had been giddy and that
the lustre of chastity had abandoned her, he reproached her by crying out
*Fie !' At that very moment came in the eldest of Jamadagni's sons,
Bumanvan ; and then, Sushena, and then, Vasu, and likewise, Viswavasu.
And the mighty saint directed ohem all one by one to put an end to the
life of their mother. They, however, were quite confounded and lost heart.
And they could not utter a single word. Then he in ire cursed them. And
on being cursed they lost their sense and suddenly became like inanimate
objects, and comparable in conduct to beasts and birds. And then Eama,
the slayer of hostile heroes, came to the hermitage, last of all. Him the
mighty-armed Jamadagni, of great austerities, addressed, saying, 'Kill this
wicked mother of thine, without compunction, O my son/ Thereupon Eama
immediately took up an axe and therewith severed his mother's head. Then,
O great king, the wrath of Jamadagni of mighty soul, was at once appeas-
ed ; and well pleased, he spake the following words, 'Thou hast, my
boy, preformed at my bidding this difficult task, being versed in virtue.
Therefore, whatsoever wishes there may be in thy heart, I am ready to
grant them all. Do thou ask me.' Thereupon Eama solicited that his
mother might be restored to life, and that he might not be haunted by the
remembrance of this cruel deed and that he might not be affected by any
sin, and that his brothers might recover their former state, and that he
VANA PARVA 255
might be unrivalled on the field of battle, and that he might obtain long
life. And, 0 Bharata's son, Jamadagni, whose penances were the most
rigid, granted all those desires of his son. Once, however, O lord, when
his sons had gone out as before, the valorous son of Kartavirya, the lord of
the country near the sore of the sea, came up to the hermitage. And
when he arrived at that hermitage, the wife of the saint received him hos-
pitably. He, however, intoxicated with a warrior's pride, was not at all
pleased with the reception accorded to him, and by force and in defiance
of all resistance, seized and carried off from that hermitage the chief of the
cows whose milk supplied the sacred butter, not heeding the loud lowing of
the cow. Ane he wantonly pulled down the large trees of the wood. When
Rama came home, his father himself told him all that had happened. Then
when Eama saw how the cow was lowing for its calf, resentment arose in
his heart. And he rushed towards Kartavirya'sson, whose last moments had
drawn nigh. Then the descendant of Bhrigu, tbe exterminator of hostile
heroes, put forth his valour on the field cf battle, and with sharpened arrows
with flattened tips, which were shot from a beautiful bow, cut down Arjuna's
arms, which numbered a thousand, and were massive like ( wooden ) bolts
for barring the door. He, already touched by the hand of death, was over-
powered by Rama, his foe. Then the kinsmen of Arjuna, their wrath excited
against Rama, rushed at Jamadagni in his hermitage, while Rama was away.
And they slew him there ; for although his strength was great, yet being at
the time engaged in penances, he would not fight. And while thus attacked
by his foes, he repeatedly shouted the name of R^ma in a helpless and
piteous way. And, 0 Yudbishthira ! The sons of Kartavirya shot Jamadagni
with their arrows, and having thus chastised their foe, went their way. And
when they had gone away, and when Jamadagni had breathed his last,
Rama, the delight of Bhrigu's race, returned to the hermitage, bearing in his
arms, fuel for religious rites. And the hero beheld his father who bad been
put to death. And grieved exceedingly he began to bewail the unworthy fate
that had laid his father low.' "
SECTION CXVII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
Rama said, 'The blame is mine, 0 father, that like a stag in the
wood, thou hast been shot dead with arrows, by those mean and stupid
wretches — the sons of Kartavirya. And, 0 father, virtuous and unswerving
from the path of righteousness and inoffensive to all animated beings as thou
wert, how came it to be permitted by Fate that thou shouldst die in this
way ? What an awful sin must have been committed by them, who have
killed thee with hundreds of sharpened shafts, although thou wert an aged
man, and engaged in penances at the time and absolutely averse to fighting
256 MAHABHAEATA
with them. With what face will those shameless persons speak of this deed
of theirs to their friends and servants, viz., that they have slain an unassis-
ted and unresisting virtuous man ?— 0 protector of men, thus he, great in
penance, bewailed much in a piteous manner, and then performed the obsequ-
ies of his departed sire. And Eama, the conqueror of hostile cities, cremated
his father on the funeral pyre, and vowed, 0 scion of Bharata's race, the
slaughter of the entire military caste, and of exceeding strength in the field
of battle, and possessed of valour suited to a heroic soul, and comparable to
the god of death himself, he took up his weapon in wrathful mood, and single-
handed put Kartavirya's sons to death. And, 0 chieftain of the military
caste, Rama, the leader of all capable of beating their foes, thrice smote down
all the Kshatriya followers of Kartavirya's sons. And seven times did that
powerful lord exterminate the military tribes of the earth. In the tract of
land called Samantapanchaka five lakes of blood were made by him, There
the mightiest scion of Bhrigu's race offered libations to his forefathers — the
Bhrigus, and Richika appeared to him in a visible form, and spake to him
words of counsel. Then the son of Jamadagni of dreaded name, performed
a mighty sacrifice and gratified the lord of the celestials, and bestowed the
earth to the ministering priests. And, O protector of human beings, he
raised an altar made of gold, ten Vyamas in breadth and nine in height, and
made a gift of the same to the magnanimous Kasyapa. Then at Kasyapa's
biding the Brahmanas divided the altar into a number of shares, and thus
they became reputed as the Khandavayamas (share takers). And the exter-
minator of the military race possessed of immense strength, bestowed the
earth upon the high souled Kasyapa, and then became engaged in penance
of ac exceedingly severe form. He now dwells in this Mahendra, monarch of
hills. Thus did hostilities arise between him and the members of the military
caste, — all of them who dwelt on this earth ; and Rama, endowed with
immense strength, in this way subdued the entire world.' "
Vaisampayana said, "Then on the fourteenth day of the moon, the
mighty-souled Rama at the proper hour showed himself to those members of
the priestly caste and also to the virtuous King ( Yudhishthira ) and his
younger brothers. And, 0 king of kings, the lord together with his brothers,
worshipped Rama, and, O most righteous of the rulers of men, the very
highest honours were paid by him to all those members of the twice-born
class. And after worshipping Jamadagni's son and having received words of
praise from him, at hia direction he spent the night on the Mahendra hill,
and then started on his journey towards the southern regions."
SECTION CXVIII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva Continued}
Vaisampayana said, "The magnanimous monarch pursued his
journey, and at difierent spots on the shore of the sea visited the various
bathing places, all sacred and pleasant and frequented by men of the
sacerdotal caste. And, 0 son of Parikehit ! He in proper form took his
bath in them together with his younger brothers and then went to an
excellent river, the holiest of all. There also the magnanimous king,
took his plunge, and offered libations to his forefathers and the gods, and
distributed riches to the leaders of the twice-born class. Then he went to
the Godavari, a river that falls directly into the sea. There he was freed
from his sins. And he reached the sea in the Dravida land, and visited
the holy spot passing under Agastya's name, which was exceedingly sacred
and exceptionally pure. And the valiant king visited the feminine sacred
spots. Here he listened to the story of that well-known feat which was
achieved by Arjuna, chief of all wielders of the bow, and which was
beyond the power of human beings to perform. And here he was praised
by the highest members of the saintly class, and the son of Pandu
experienced the greatest delight. And, O protector of the earth ! the ruler
of the world, accompanied by Krishna bathed in those holy spots, and
speaking of Arjuna's valour in laudatory terms delightfully spent his time
in the place. Then he gave away thousands of cows at those holy spots
on the coast of the sea ; and with his brothers narrated well pleased how
Arjuna had made a gift of kine. And he, 0 king ! visited one by one
those holy places on the coast of the sea and many other sacred spots,
and thus fulfilled his heart's desire, till he came to the holiest of all known
by tho name of Surparaka. Then having crossed a certain tract on the coast
of the sea, he reached a forest celebrated on earth. There the deities had
practised asceticism in former days, and likewise virtuous rulers of men had
performed sacrificial rites. There he, possessed of long and lusty arms, be-
held the celebrated altar of Richika's son, who was the foremost of all wield-
ers of the bow. And the altar was girt round by hosts of ascetics, and was
fit to be worshipped by persons of a virtuous life. Then the king beheld the
holy and delightful shrines of all the gods and of the Vasus, and of the hosts
of wind and of the two celestial physicians and of Yama, son of the sun and
of the lord of riches, and of Indra, and of Vishnu, and of the lord Creator
and of Siva, and of the moon, and of the author of day, and of the lord of
waters, and of the host of Sadhyas, and of Brahma, and of the forefathers,
and of Rudra together with all his followers, and of the goddess of learning,
and of the host of Siddhas, and of many immortal holy gods besides. And
in those shrines the king observed various fasts, and gave away large quan-
tities of gems. He plunged his body in all the holy spots, and then came
2
258 MAHABHABATA
again to Surparaka. And he by the same landing-place of the sea again pro-
ceeded with his uterine brothers, and came over to the holy spot Prabhasa,
whereof fame hath been spread by mighty Brahmanas throughout the
world. There he, possessed of a pair of large red eyes, washed himself with
all his younger brothers, and offered libations to the forefathers and the
celestial hosts ; and so did Krishna and all those Brahmanas together with
Lomasa. For twelve days he subsisted upon air and water. And he performed
ablutions for days and nights and surrounded himself with fires kindled
on all sides. Thus that greatest of all virtuous men engaged himself in
asceticism. While he was acting thus, information reached both Valarama
and Krishna that the king was practising penances of a most austere form
and these two leaders of the entire Vrishni tribe accompanied with troops
came to Yudhishthira of Ajamidha's race. And when the Vrishnis beheld
that the sons of Pandu lay down on the ground, their bodies besmeared all
over with dirt and when they beheld the daughter of Drupada in a sad state,
their grief was great and they could not refrain from breaking out in loud
lamentations. Then the king, whose courage was such that misfortune
never could cast him down, cordially met Eama and Krishna and Samva,
Krishna's son, and the grand-son of Sini and other Vrishnis, and paid honour
to them in a suitable form. And they also in return paid honour to all the
sons of Pritha, and were similarly honoured by Pandu's sons. And they
seated themselves round about Yudhishthira, as round Jndra, 0 king ! are
seated the celestial hosts. And highly pleased, he recounted to them all the
machinations of his adversaries, and how also he had resided in the forest,
and how Arjuna had gone to Indra's abode in order to learn the science of
arms, — all this he related with a gladdened heart. And they were happy to
learn all this news from him ; but when they saw the Pandavas so exceed-
ingly lean, the majestic and magnanimous Vrishnis could not forbear shedd-
ing tears, which spontaneously gushed from their eyes on account of the
agony they felt "
SECTION CXIX
( Tirtha-yatra Parva continued )
Janamejaya said, "0 thou of ascetic wealth I when the sons of
Pandu and the Vrishnis reached the holy spot Prabhasa, what did they
do and what conversation was held there by them, for all of them were
of mighty souls, proficient in all the branches of science and both the
Vrishnis and the sons of Pandu held one another in friendly estimation."
Vaisampayana said, "When the Vrishnis reached the holy spot
Prabhasa, the sacred landing-place on the coast of the sea, they surrounded
VANA £ABVA 259
the sons of Panda and waited upon them. Then Valarama, resembling in
hue the milk of the cow and the Kunda flower and the moon and the
silver and the lotus root and who wore a wreath made of wild flowers and
who had the ploughshare for his arms, spake to the lotuseyed one, saying,
'0 Krishna, I do not see that the practice of virtue leads to any good or
that unrighteous practices can cause evil, since the magnanimous Yudhish-
thira is in this miserable state, with matted hair, a resident of the wood,
and for his garment wearing the bark of trees. And Duryodhana is now
ruling the earth, and the ground doth not yet swallow him up. From this,
a person of limited sense would believe a vicious course of life is preferable
to a virtuous one. When Duryodhana is in a flourishing state and Yudhish-
thira, robbed of his throne, is suffering thus, what should people do in such
a matter ? — this is the doubt that is now perplexing all men. Here is the
lord of men sprung from the god of virtue, holding fast to a righteous path,
strictly truthful and of a liberal heart. This son of Pritha would give up
his kingdom and his pleasure but would not swerve from the righteous
path, in order to thrive. How is it that Bhishma and Kripa and the
Brahmana Drona and the aged king, the senior member of the house, are
living happily, after having banished the sons of Pritha ? Fie upon the
vicious-minded leaders of Bharata's race ! What will that sinner, the chief-
tain of the earth, say to the departed forefathers of his race, when the
wretch will meet them in the world to come ? Having hurled from the
throne his in-offensive sons, will he be able to declare that he had treated
them in a blameless way ? He doth not now see with his mind's eye how
he hath become so sightless, and on account of what act he hath grown
blind among the kings of this entire earth. Is it not because he hath
banished Kunti's son from his kingdom ? I have no doubt that Vichitravir-
ya's son, when he with his sons perpetrated this inhuman act, beheld on
the spot where dead bodies are burnt, flowering trees of a golden hue.
Verily he must have asked them, when those stood before him with their
shoulders projected forward towards him, and with their large red eyes
staring at him, and he must have listened to their evil advice, since he
fearlessly sent away Yudhishihira to the forest, who had all his weapons
of war with him and was borne company by his younger brothers. This
Bhima here, whose voracious appetite is like that of a wolf, is able to des-
troy with the sole strength of his powerful arms, and without the help of
any weapons of war, a formidable array of hostile troops. The forces in
the field of battle were utterly unmanned on hearing his war-cry. And
now the strong one is suffering from hunger and thirst, and is emaciated
with toilsome journeys. But when he will take up in his hand arrows and
diverse other weapons of war, and meet his foes in the field of battle, he
will then remember the sufferings of his exceedingly miserable forest-life,
and kill his enemies to a man : of a certainty do I anticipate this. There
260 MAHABHARATA
is not throughout the whole world a single soul who can boast of strength
and prowess equal to his. And his body, alas ! is emaciated with cold,
and heat and winds. But when he will stand up for fight, he will not
leave a single man out of his foes. This powerful hero, who is a very great
warrior when mounted on a car — this Bhirna, of appetite rivalling a wolf's,
conquered single-handed all the rulers of men in the east, together with
those who followed them in battle ; and he returned from those wars safe
and uninjured. And that same Bhima, miserably dressed in the bark of
trees, is now leading a wretched life in the woods. This powerful Sahadeva
vanquished all the kings in the south ; those lords of men who had gathered
on the coast of the sea, — look at him now in an anchorite's dress. Valiant
in battle Nakula vanquished single-handed the kings who ruled the regions
towards the west, — and he now walks about the wood, subsisting on fruit
and roots, with a matted mass of hair on the head, and his body besmeared
all over with dirt. This daughter of a king, who is a great soldier when
mounted on a car, took her rise from beneath the altar, during the pomp
of sacrificial rites. She hath been always accustomed to a life of happiness ;
how is she now enduring this exceedingly miserable life in this wood ! And
the son of the god of virtue, — virtue which stands at the head of all the
three pursuits of life — and the son of the wind-god and also the son of the
lord of celestials, and those two sons of the celestial physicians, — being the
sons of all those gods and always accustomed to a life of happiness, how
are they living in this wood, deprived of all comforts ? When the son of
Tirtue met with defeat, and when his wife, his brothers, his followers, and
himself were all driven forth, and Duryodhana began to flourish, why did
not the earth subside with all its hills ?' "
SECTION CXX
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
Satyaki said, "0 Eama ! this is not the time of lamentation ; let
us do that which is proper and suited to the present occasion, although
Yudhishthira doth not speak a single word. Those who have persons to
look after their welfare do not undertake anything of themselves ; they
have others to do their work, as Saivya and others did for Yayati. Like-
wise, O Eama ! those who have appointed functionaries to undertake
their work on their own responsibility, as the leaders of men, they may
be said to have real patrons, and they meet with no difficulty, like help-
less beings. How is it that when the sons of Pritha have for their patrons
these two men, Eama and Krishna, and the two others, Pradyumna
and Samva, together with myself,— these patrons being able to protect
all the three worlds,— how is it that the son of Pritha is living in the
VAtf A PARVA 261
wood with his brothers ? It is fit that this very day the army of the
Dasarhas should march out, variously armed and with checkered mails.
Let Dhritarashtra's sons be overwhelmed with the forces of the Vrishnis
and let them go with their friends to the abode of the god of death. Let
him alone who wields the bow made of the horn (Krishna), thou alone, if
roused, wouldst be able to surround even the whole of this earth. I ask
thee to kill Dhritarashtra's son with all his men, as the great Indra, the
lord of the gods kill Vritra. Arjuna, the son of Pritha, is my brother, and
also my friend, and also my preceptor, and is like the second self of Krishna.
It is for this that men desire for a worthy son, and that preceptor seeks a
pupil who would contradict him not. It is for this that the time is come
for that excellent work, which is the best of all tasks and difficult to
perform. I shall baffle Duryodhana's volleys of arms by my own excellent
weapons. I shall overpower all in the field of battle. I shall in my wrath
cut off his head with my excellent shafts, little inferior to snakes and poison
and fire. And with the keen edge of my sword, I shall forcibly sever his
head from the trunk, in the field of battle ; then I shall kill his followers,
and Duryodhana, and all of Kuru's race. O son of Eohini ! let the followers
of Bhima look at me with joy at their heart, when I shall keep up the
weapons of war in the field of battle, and when I shall go on slaying all the
best fighting men on the side of the Kurus, as at the end of time fire will
burn vast heaps of straw. Kripa and Drona and Vikarna and Kama are
not able to bear the keen arrows shot by Pradyumna. I know the power
of Arjuna's son — he conducts himself like the son of Krishna in the field of
battle. Let Samva chastise by the force of his arms Dussasana ; let him
destroy by force Dussasana and his charioteer and his car. In the field of
battle .when the son of Jamvavati becomes irresistible in fight, there is
nothing which can withstand his force. The army of the demon Samvara
was speedily routed by him when only a boy. By him was killed in fight
Asvachakra, whose thighs were round, and whose muscular arms were of
exceeding length. Who is there that would be able to go forward to the
car of Samva, who is great in fight, when mounted on a car ? As a mortal
coming under the clutches of death can never escape ; so who is there that
once coming under his clutches in the field of battle, is able to return with
his life ? The son of Vasudeva will burn down by the volleys of his fiery
shafts all the hostile troops, and those two warriors, Bhishma and Drona, —
who are great on a car, and Somadatta surrounded by all his sons. What
is there in all the worlds including the gods, which Krishna cannot
encounter on an equal footing, when he takes up the weapons of war,
wields in his hands excellent arrows, arms himself with his dice, and thus
becomes unrivalled in fight ? Then let Aniruddha also take up in his hand
his buckler and sword, and let him cover the surface of the earth with
Dhritarashtra's sons, their heads separated from their trunks, their bodies
262 MAHABHAEATA
devoid of all consciousness as in a sacrificial rite the altar is overspread
with sacred grass placed upon the same. And Gada and Dluka, and
Vahuka and Bhanu and Nitha and the young Nishatha valiant in battle
and Sarana, and Charudeshna, irresistible in war, let them perform feats
befitting their race. Let the united army of the Satwatas and Suras,
together with the best soldiers of the Yrishnis, the Bhojas, and the
Andhakas, kill those sons of Dhritarashtra in the field of battle and let
them swell their expanded fame throughout the world. Then let Abhimanyu
rule the world so long as this most excellent of virtuous men, the mag-
nanimous Yudhishthira, may be engaged in fulfilling his vow, — the vow
that was accepted and declared by him, the most righteous of Kuru's race,
on the occasion of the famous play at dice. Afterwards the virtuous king
will protect the earth, all his foes defeated in battle by shafts which will be
discharged by us. Then there will remain no sons of Dhritarashtra on
earth, — nor the son of the charioteer (Karna). This is the most important
work for us to do, and this will surely lead to fame.' '
"Krishna said, 'O scion of the race of Madhu ! no doubt what
thou sayest is true ; we accept thy words, 0 thou of courage that is never
weak ! But this bull of the Kuru race (Yudhishthira) would never accept
the sovereignty of the earth, unless it were won by the prowess of his own
arms. Neither for the sake of pleasure, nor from fear, nor from covetous-
ness, would Yudhishthira ever renounce the rules of the caste ; nor would
these two heroes, who are mighty, when mounted on a car— Bhima and
Arjuna ; nor the twin brothers, nor Krishna, the daughter of Drupada.
He possessing the appetite of a wolf (Bhima), and the winner of riches
(Arjuna), are both unrivalled in fight throughout the world. And why
should not this king rule over the entire world when he hath the two sons
of Madri to espouse his cause ? The high-souled ruler of Panchala together
with the Kekaya king, and we also should put forth our united strength,
and then would the enemies of Yudhishthira be annihilated.' "
"Yudhishthira said, 'It is not strange that thou shouldst speak thus,
O scion of Madhu's race ! but to me truth seems to be the first consi-
deration, above that of my sovereign power itself. But it is Krishna alone
who precisely knoweth what I am ; and it is I alone who precisely know
what Krishna (really) is. 0 thou endued with valour ! O scion of Madhu's
race ! as soon as he will perceive that the time is come for feats of bravery,
then, 0 most valiant of Sini's race, he also of beautiful hair (Krishna) will
defeat Suyodhana. Let the brave men of the Dasarha race go back today.
They are my patrons ; and the foremost of human beings, they have
visited me here. O ye of immeasurable strength ! never fall off from the
path of virtue. I shall see you again, when ye will be happily gathered
together/
"Then after mutual greeting and obeisance to seniors, and having
VANA PAEVA 263
embraced the youthful, those valiant men of the Yadu race and the sons
of Pandu separated. And the Yadus returned to their home ; and the
Pandavas continued their journey to the sacred spots. Then having parted
with Krishna, the virtuous king, accompanied by his brothers and servants,
and also by Lomasa, went to the sacred river Payosini. Its fine landing-
place was constructed by the king of Vidarbha. And he began to dwell on
the banks of the Payosini, whose waters were mingled with the distilled
Soma juice. There the high-souled Yudhishthira was greeted with excellent
laudatory terms by numerous leaders of the twice-born class, who were
delighted to see him there.' "
SECTION OXXI
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
Lomasa said, "0 king 1 when the Nriga performed a sacrifice here,
he gratified Indra, the demolisher of hostile cities, by offering the Soma
juice. And Indra was refreshed and was very much pleased. Here the
gods together with Indra, and the protectors of all born beings, celebrated
sacrifices of various kinds on a large scale, and paid abundant gratuities
to the ministering priests. Here king Amurtarayasa, the lord of the world,
satisfied Indra, the holder of the thunderbolt, by the offer of the Soma
juice, when seven horse-sacrifices were performed by that king. The articles
which in other sacrificial rites are uniformly made of the timber, wood and
of earth, were all made of gold in the seven sacrifices performed by him.
And it is said that in all those rites, seven sets of stakes, rings for the
sacrificial stakes, spots, ladles, utensils, spoons were prepared by him. On
each sacrificial stake, seven rings were fastened at the top. And, O Yudhish-
thira ! the celestials together with Indra, themselves erected the sacrificial
stakes of shining gold which had been prepared for his sacred rites. In all
those magnificent sacrifices instituted by Gaya, the protector of the earth,
Indra, was delighted by drinking the Soma juice, and the ministering priests
were gratified with the gratuities paid to them. And the priests obtained
untold wealth counted out to them. And as the sand-grains of the earth,
or as the stars in the sky, or as the rain-drops when it raineth,
cannot be counted by any one, so the wealth Gaya gave away was
incapable of being counted by figures- So untold was the wealth, 0 great
king ! that was given to the ministering priests in all those seven sacri-
fices that even the above-mentioned objects might be counted by figures,
but the gratuities bestowed by him whose largeness exceeded all that was
known before were not capable of being counted by figures. And images of
the goddess of speech were made of gold by the sculptor of the
gods ;— and the king gratified the members of the sacerdotal caste, who
264 MAHABHAEATA
had arrived from all the cardinal points, by making presents to them of
those images, of gold. 0 protector of men ! when the high-souled Gaya
performed his sacrificial rites, he erected sacrificial piles at so many different
spots that but little space was left on the surface of the earth. And, O
scion of Bharata's race ! he by that sacred act attained the regions of
Indra. Whoever should bathe in the river, Payosini, would go to the
regions attained by Gaya. Therefore, O lord of kings ! O unswerving
prince ! thou and thy brothers should bathe in this river : then, O protector
of the earth, thou wilt be freed from all these sins."
Vaisampayana said, ' 0 most praiseworthy of men ! Yudhishthira
with his brothers performed ablutions in the Payosini river. Then, 0
sinless prince ! the powerful monarch together with his brothers, journeyed
to the hill of sapphires and the great river Narmada. The blessed saint
Lomasa there named to him all the delightful holy spots and all the sacred
shrines of the celestials. Then he with his brothers visited those places,
according to his desire and convenience. And at various places Brahmanas
by thousands received gifts from him."
"Lornasa said, '0 son of Kunti ! one who visits the sapphire Hill
and plunges his body in the river Narmada attains the regions inhabited
by the celestials and kings. 0 most praiseworthy of men ! this period
is the junction between the Treta and the Kali age, O Kunti's son 1 This
is the period when a person gets rid of all his sins. 0 respected sir ! this
is the spot where Saryati performed sacrificial rites, wherein Tndra appeared
in a visible form and drank the Soma juice, with the two celestial
physicians. And Bhrigu's son of severe austerities conceived anger towards
the great Indra ; and the mighty Chyavana paralysed Tndra, and for his
wife obtained the princess, Sukanya.' "
"Yudhishthira said, 'How was the chastiser of the demon Paka, the
god possessed of the six attributes, paralysed by Chyavana ? And for
what reason did the mighty saint conceive wrath towards Indra ? And
how, O Brahmana ! did he raise the celestial physicians to the rank of
the drinkers of Soma ? All this, precisely as it happened, thy venerable
self will be pleased to recount to me.' "
SECTION CXXII
(Tirtha-yatra Farm continued)
"Lomasa said, 'A son was born to the great saint Bhrigu, Chya-
vana by name. And he, of an exceedingly resplendent form, began to
practise austerities by the side of yonder lake. And, 0 Pandu's son ! O
protector of men ! he of mighty energy assumed the posture called Vira,
quiet and sfcill like an inanimate post, and for a long period, remained at
the same spot of ground. And ho was turned into an ant-hill covered
over with creepers. And after the lapse of a long period, swarms of ants
enveloped him. And covered all over with ants, the sagacious saint looked
exactly like a heap of earth. And he went on practising austerities,
enveloped on all sides with that ant-hill. Now after the lapse of a long
space of time, that ruler of earth, Saryati by name, for amusement visited
this pleasant and excellent lake. With him were four thousand females,
espoused by him, 0 son of Bharata's race ! there was also his only
daughter endued with beautiful brows, named Sukanya. She surrounded by
her maids, and decked out with jewels fit for the celestials, while walking
about, approached the anthill where Bhrigu's son was seated. And
surrounded by her maids, she began to amuse herself there, viewing the
beautiful scenery, and looking at the lofty trees of the wood. And she
was handsome and in the prime of her youth ; and she was amorous and
bent on frolicking. And she began to break the twigs of the forest trees
bearing blossoms. And Bhrigu's son endued with intelligence beheld her
wandering like lightning, without her maids, and wearing a single piece of
cloth and decked with ornaments. And seeing her in the lone forest, that
ascetic of exceeding effulgence was inspired with desire. And that regenerate
Rishi possessing ascetic energy, who had a low voice, called the auspicious
one, — but she heard him not. Then seeing the eyes of Bhrigu's son
from the ant-hill, Sukanya from curiosity and losing her sense, said,
'What is this T — and with thorns pierced the eyes (of the Rishi). And
as his eyes being pierced by her, he felt exceeding pain and became wroth.
And (from anger) he obstructed the calls of nature of Saryati's forces.
And on their calls of nature being obstructed, the men were greatly
afflicted. And seeing this state of things, the king asked, 'Who is it
that hath done wrong to the illustrious son of Bhrigu, old and ever engaged
in austerities and of wrathful temper ? Tell me quick if ye know it'. The
soldiers (thereupon) answered him saying, 'We do not know whether any
one hath done wrong to the Rishi. Do thou, as thou list, make a search-
ing enquiry into the matter. Thereupon that ruler of earth, using (as he
saw occasion) both menace and conciliation, asked his friends (about the
circumstance). But they too did not know anything. Seeing that the
army was distressed owing to the obstruction of the calls of nature, and
266 MAHABHARATA
also finding her father aggrived, Sukanya said, 'Boving in the forest, I
lighted in the ant-hill here upon some brilliant substance. Thereupon
taking it for a glow-worm I neared it, and pierced it (with thorns).' Hearing
this Saryati immediately came to the ant-hill, and there saw Bhrigu's son,
old both in years and austerities. Then the lord of earth with joined
hands, besought (the ascetic) saying, *It behoveth thee to forgive what my
daughter through ignorance and greenness, hath done unto thee/
Chyavana, the son of Ehrigu, addressed the monarch saying, 'Disregarding
me, this one, filled with pride hath pierced my eyes. Even her, 0 king,
endued with beauty and who was bereft of her senses by ignorance and
temptation — even thy daughter would I have for my bride, I tell thee
truly, on this condition alone will I forgive thee.'
Lomasa said, "Hearing the words of the sage, Saryati, without
pausing, bestowed his daughter on the high-souled Chyavana. Having
received the hand of that girl, the holy one was pleased with the king.
And having won the Eislms grace, the king went to his city, accompanied
by his troops. And the faultless Sukanya also having obtained that
ascetic for her husband, began to tend him, practising penances, and
observing the ordinance. And that one of a graceful countenance, and void
of guile worshipped Chyavana, and also ministered unto guests, and the
sacred fire."
SECTION CXXIII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Lomasa said, 'Once on a time, O king, those celestials, namely
the twin Aswins, happened to behold Sukanya, when she had (just)
bathed, and when her person was bare. And seeing that one of excellent
limbs, and like unto the daughter of the lord of celestials, the nose-born
Aswins neared her, and addressed her, saying, 'O thou of shapely thighs,
whose daughter art thou ? And what doest thcu in this wood ? 0
auspicious one, 0 thou of excellent grace, we desire to know this, do thou
therefore tell us.' Thereupon she replied bashfulfy unto those foremost
of celestials, 'Know me as Saryati's daughter, and Chyavana's wife.'
Thereat the Aswins again spake unto her, smiling, 'What for, 0 fortunate
one, hath thy father bestowed thee on a person who is verging on death ?
Surely, 0 timid girl, thou shinest in this wood like lightning. Not in the
regions of the celestials themselves, 0 girl, have our eyes lighted on thy
like. O damsel, unadorned and without gay robes as thou art, thou
beautifiest this wood exceedingly. Still, 0 thou of faultless limbs, thou
canst not look so beautiful, when (as at present) thou art soiled with mud
and dirt, as thou couldst, if decked with every ornament and wearing
gorgeous apparel. Why, 0 excellent girl in such plight servest thou a
decrepit old husband, and one that hath become incapable of realising
VANA PAKVA 267
pleasure and also of maintaining thee, 0 thou of luminous smiles ? O
divinely beautiful damsel, do thou, forsaking Chyavana accept one of us
for husband. It behoveth thee not to spend thy youth fruitlessly.' "
"Thus addressed Sukanya answered the celestials saying, 'I am
devoted to my husband, Chyavana ; do ye not entertain any doubts (re-
garding my fidelity).' Thereupon they again spake unto her, 'We two
are the celestial physicians of note. We will make thy lord young and
graceful. Do thou then select one of us, viz., ourselves and thy husband,
— for thy partner. Promising this do thou, O auspicious one, bring
hither thy husband.' O king, agreeably to their words she went to
Bhrigu's son and communicated to him what the two celestials had said.
Hearing her message, Chyavana said unto his wife, 'Do thou so.' Having
received the permission of her lord, (she returned to the celestials) and
said, 'Do ye so.' Then hearing her words, viz., 'Do ye so,' they spoke unto
the king's daughter, 'Let thy husband enter into water.' Thereat Chya-
vana desirous of obtaining beauty, quickly entered into water. The twin
Aswins also, 0 king, sank into the sheet of water. And the next moment
they all came out of the tank in surpassingly beautiful forms, and young
and wearing burnished ear-rings. And all, possessed of the same appear-
ance pleasing to behold, addressed her saying, '0 fortunate one, do thou
choose one of us for spouse. And 0 beauteous one, do thou select him
for lord who may please thy fancy.' Finding, however, all of them of the
same appearance she deliberated ; and at last ascertaining the identity of
her husband, even selected him,
"Having obtained coveted beauty and also his wife, Chyavana, of
exceeding energy, well pleased, spake these words unto the nose-born
celestials : 'Since at your hands, an old man, I have obtained youth, and
beauty, and also this wife of mine, I will, well pleased, make you quaffers
of the Soma juice in the presence of the lord of celestials himself. This
I tell you truly.' Hearing this, highly delighted, the twins ascended to
heaven ; and Chyavana and Sukanya too passed their days happily even
like celestials."
SECTION CXXIV
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Lamasa said, 'Now the news came to Saryati that Chyavana had
been turned into a youth. And well pleased he came, accompanied by
his troops, to the hermitage of the son of Bhrigu. And he saw Chyavana
and Sukanya, like two children sprung from celestials, and his joy and
that of his wife were as great as if the king had conquered the entire world.
And the ruler of earth together with his wife was received honourably by
that saint. And the king seated himself near the ascetic, and entered into
a delightful conversation of an auspicious kind. Then, 0 king, the son of
Bhrigu spake to the king these words of a soothing nature : 'I shall, O
king, officiate at a religious ceremony to be performed by thee : let the
requisite articles, therefore, be procured.' Thereat, that protector of earth
Saryati, experienced the very height of joy, and 0 great king, he expressed
his approbation of the proposal made by Chyavana. And on an auspicious
day, suitable for the commencement of a sacrificial ceremony, Saryati
ordered the erection of a sacrificial shrine of an excellent description and
splendidly furnished with all desirable things. There Chyavana, the son
of Bhrigu, officiated for the king as his priest. Now listen to me relating
the wonderful events which happened at that spot. Chyavana took up a
quantity of the Soma juice, in order that he might offer the same to the
Aswins, who were physicians to the celestials. And while the saint was
taking up the intended offering for those celestial twins, Indra pronounced
his interdiction, saying, 'These Aswins both of them in my opinion have
no right to receive an offering of the Soma juice. They are the physicians
of the celestials in heaven, — this vocation of theirs hath disentitled them
(in the matter of Soma).' Thereupon Chyavana said, 'These two are of
mighty enterprise, possessed of mighty souls, and uncommonly endued
with beauty and grace. And they, 0 Indra, have converted me into an
eternally youthful person, even like unto a celestial. Why shouldst thou
and the other celestials have a right to the distilled Soma juice, and not
they ? 0 lord of the celestials, O demolisher of hostile towns ! be it known
to thee that the Aswins also rank as gods/ At this, Indra spake saying,
'These two practise the healing art, — so they are but servants. And
assuming forms at their pleasure they roam about in the world of mortal
beings. How can they then rightfully claim the juice of the Soma ?'
'Lomasa said, When these very identical words were spoken again
and again by the lord of celestials, the son of Bhrigu, setting Indra at
naught, took up the offering he had intended to make. And as he was
about to take up an excellent portion of the Soma juice with the object of
offering it to the two Aswins, the destroyer of the demon Vala (Indra)
observed his act, and thus spoke unto him, 'If thou take up the Soma with
VANA PABVA 269
a view to offering it to those celestials, I shall hurl at thoe my thunderbolt
of awful form, which is superior to all the weapons that exist.' Thus
addressed by Tndra, the son of Bhrigu, cast at Indra a smiling glance, and
took up in due form a goodly quantity of the Soma juice, to make an
offering to the Aswins. Then Sachi's lord hurled at him the thunderbolt
of awful form. And as he was about to launch it, his arm was paralysed
by Bhrigu's son. And having paralysed his arm, Chyavana recited sacred
hymns, and made offerings on the fire. His object gained, he now
attempted to destroy that celestial. Then by the virtue of that saint's ascetic
energy, an evil spirit came into being, — a huge demon, Mada by name, of
great strength and gigantic proportions. And his body was incapable of
being measured either by demons or by gods. And his mouth was terrible
and of huge size, and with teeth of sharpened edge. And one of his jaws
rested on the earth, and the other stretched to heaven. And he had four
fangs, each extending as far as one hundred y of anas. And his other fangs
were extended to the distance of ten yojanas, and were of a form resem-
bling towers on a palace, and which might be likened to the ends of spears.
And his two arms were like unto hills, and extended ten thousand yojanas,
and both were of equal bulk. And his two eyes resembled the sun and the
moon ; and his face rivalled the conflagration at the universal dissolution.
And he was licking his mouth with his tongue, which, like lightning, knew
no rest. And his mouth was open, and his glance was frightful, and
seemed as if he would forcibly swallow up the world. The demon rushed
at the celestial by whom a hundred sacrifices had been performed. And
his intent was to devour that deity. And the world resounded with the
loud and frightful sounds uttered by the Asura.' "
SECTION CXXV
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Lomasa said, 'When the god who had performed a hundred sacrifices
(Indra) beheld the demon Mada of a frightful mien, coming towards him
with open mouth, his intention being to devour him, and looking like the
god of death himself, while his own arms remained paralysed, he through
fear repeatedly licked the corners of his mouth. Then the lord of the
celestials, tortured with fright, spake to Chyavana saying, 'O Bhrigu's
son ! O Brahmana ! verily I tell thee as truth itself, that from this day
forward the two Aswins will be entitled to the Soma juice. Be merciful
tome! My undertaking can never come to naught. Let this be the rule.
And I know, O saint of the sacerdotal caste ! that thy work can never
come to nothing. These two Aswins will have a right to drink the Soma
juice, since thou hast made them entitled to the same. And, 0 Bhrigu's
270 MAHABHAKATA
son, I have done this bub to spread the fame of thy powers, and my object
was to give thee an occasion for displaying thy powers. My other object
was that the fame of the father of this Sukanya here might spread every-
where. Therefore be merciful to me : let it be as thou wishest.' Being
thus addressed by Indra, the wrath of Chyavana of mighty soul was
quickly appeased, and he set free the demoHsher of hostile cities (Tndra). And
the powerful saint, 0 king ! distributed Mada (literally intoxication), and
put it piece-meal in drinks, in women, in gambling, and in field sports,
even this same Mada who had been created repeatedly before. Having
thus cast down the demon Mada and gratified Indra with a Soma draught
and assisted king Saryati in worshipping all the gods together with the
two Aswins and also spread his fame for power over all the worlds, the
best of those endued with speech passed his days happily in the wood,
in the company of Sukanya, his loving wife. This is his lake, shining, O
king ! and resounding with the voice of birds. Here must thou, together
with thy uterine brothers, offer libations of water to thy forefathers and
the gods. And, O ruler of earth ! O scion of Bharata's race ! having
visited it and Sikataksha also, thou shalt repair to the Saindhava wood,
and behold a number of small artificial rivers. And, 0 great king, 0 scion
of Bharata's race ! thou shalt touch the waters of all the holy lakes and
reciting the hymns of the god Sthanu (Siva), meet with success in every
undertaking. For this is the junction, 0 most praiseworthy of men, of the
two ages of the world, viz., Dwapara • and Treta. It is a time, O Kunti's
son ! capable of destroying all the sins of a person. Here do thou perform
ablutions, for the spot is able to remove all the sins of an individual.
Yonder is the Archika hill, a dwelling-place for men of cultured minds.
Fruits of all the seasons grow here at all times and the streams run for
ever. It is an excellent place fit for the celestials. And there are the holy
cairns of diverse forms, set up by the celestials. 0 Yudhishthira ! this is
the bathing spot belonging to the Moon. And the saints are in attendance
here on all sides round — they are the dwellers of the wood and the
Valakhilyas, and the Pavakas, who subsist on air only. These are three
peaks and three springs. Thou mayst walk round them all, one by one :
then thou mayst wash thyself at pleasure. Santanu, O king ! and Sunaka,
the sovereign of men, and both Nara and Narayana have attained ever-
lasting regions from this place. Here did the gods constantly lie down, as
also the forefathers, together with the mighty saints. In this Archika hill,
they all carried on austerities. Sacrifice to them, O Yudhishthira ! Here
did they, also the saints, eat rice cooked in milk, 0 protector of men !
And here is the Yamuna of an exhaustless spring. Krishna here engaged
himself in a life of penances, 0 Pandu's son. 0 thou that draggest the
dead bodies of thy foes ! the twin brothers, and Bhimasena and Krishna
and all of us will accompany thee to this spot. 0 lord of men, this is the
VANA PABVA 271
holy spring that belongeth to Indra. Here the creative and »e disponMDg
dlity and Varuna also rose upward*, and here too they dwe t, O tag
ooer'viug forbearance, and possessed of the highest faith. This exce lent
and propitious hill is fit for persons of a kindly and candid deposition
This is that celebrated Yamuna. O king ! frequented by hosts of m ghty
saints the scene of diverse religious rites, holy, and destructive of the
dread of sin Here did Mandhata himself, of a mighty bow, perform
sacrificial rites for the gods ; and so did Somaka, 0 Kunti"s son ! who was
the son of Sahadeva, and a most excellent maker of gifts.
SECTION CXXVI
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Yudhishthira said, 'O great Brahmana, how was that tiger among
kings, Mandhata, Yuvanaswa's son, born,-even he who was the best
monarchs, and celebrated over the three worlds? And how did he of
unmeasured lustre attain the very height of real power, since all the three
worlds were as much under his subjection, as they are under that of Vishnu
oi mighty soul ? I am desirous of hearing all this in connection with the
life and achievements of that sagacious monarch. I shou d also like to
hear how his name of Mandhata originated, belonging as it did to him who
rivalled in lustre Indra himself : and also how he of unrivalled strength was
born for thou art skilled in the art of narrating events.'
"Lomasa said, 'Hear with attention, 0 king ! how the name of
elonain- to that monarch of mighty soul hath come to be
SBS *- world, Yuvanaswa, the ru,er of the earth
ssurun from Ikshvaku's race. That protector of the earth performed
many sacrificial rites noted for magnificient gifts. And the most excellent
of all virtuous men performed a thousand times the ceremony of sacrificmg
a horse And he also performed other sacrifices of the highest order
wherein he made abundant gifts. But that saintly king had no son And
Te of mighty soul and rigid vows made over to his ministers the duties o
the state, and became a constant resident of the woods. And he of
cultured soul devoted himself to the pursuits enjoined in the sacred writ.
And once upon a time, that protector of men, O king ! had observed a faet.
And he was suffering from the pangs of hunger and his inner soul seemed
parched with 'thirst. And (in this state) he entered the hermitage of
Bhrigu. On that very night, 0 king of kings ! the great samt who was he
of Bhrigu's race, had officiated in a religious ceremony, with the
thafa o'n might be born to Saudyumni. 0 king of kings ! at the
stood a large jar filled with water, consecrated with the relation of
272 MAHABHARATA
sacred hymns, and which had been previously deposited there. And the
water was endued with the virtue that the wife of Saudyumni would by
drinking the same, bring forth a god-like son. Those mighty saints had
deposited the jar on the altar and had gone to sleep, having been fatigued
by keeping up the night. And as Saudyumni passed them by, his palate
was dry, and he was suffering greatly from thirst. And the king was very
much in need of water to drink. And he entered that hermitage and asked
for drink. And becoming fatigued, he cried in feeble voice, proceeding from
a parched throat, which resembled the weak inarticulate utterance of a
bird. And his voice reached nobody's ears. Then the king beheld the jar
filled with water. And he quickly ran towards it, and having drunk the
water, put the jar down. And as the water was cool, and as the king had
been suffering greatly from thirst, the draught of water relieved the
sagacious monarch and appeased his thirst. Then those saints together
with him of ascetic wealth, awoke from sleep ; and all of them observed
that the water of the jar had gone. Thereupon they met together and
began to enquire as to who might have done it. Then Yuvanaswa truthfully
admitted that it was his act. Then the revered son of Bhrigu spake unto
him, saying, 'It was not proper. This water had an occult virtue infused
into it, and had been placed there with the object that a son might be born
to thee. Having performed severe austerities, I infused the virtue of my
religious acts in this water, that a son might be born to thee. O saintly
king of mighty valour and physical strength ! a son would have been born
to thee of exceeding strength and valour, and strengthened by austerities,
and who would have sent by his bravery even Indra to the abode of the god
of death. It was in this manner, 0 king ! that this water had been pro-
pared by me. By drinking this water, O king, thou hast done what was
not at all right. But it is impossible now for us to turn back the accident
which hath happened. Surely what thou hast done must have been the fiat
of Fate. Since thou, 0 great king, being athirst hast drunk water
prepared with sacred hymns, and filled with the virtue of my religious
labours, thou must bring forth out of thy own body a son of the character
described above. To that end we shall perform a sacrifice for thee, of
wonderful effect so that, valorous as thou art, thou wilt bring forth a son
equal to Indra. Nor wilt thou experience any trouble on account of the
labour pains.' Then when ^one hundred years had passed away, a son
shining as the sun pierced the left side of the king endowed with a mighty
soul, and came forth. And the son was possessed of mighty strength. Nor
did Yuvanaswa die — which itself was strange. Then Indra of mighty
strength came to pay him a visit. And the deities enquired of the great
Indra, 'What is to be sucked by this boy ?' Then Indra introduced his own
forefinger into his mouth. And when the wielder of the thunderbolt said,
'He will suck me,' the dwellers of heaven together with Indra chris-
VANA PABVA 273
tened the boy Mandhata, (literally, Me he shall suck). Then the boy
having tasted the forefinger extended by Indra, became possessed of
mighty strength, and he grew thirteen cubits, O king. And, O great
king ! the whole of sacred learning together with the holy science of
arms, was acquired by that masterful boy, who gained all that know-
ledge by the simple and unassisted power of his thought : And all at
once, the bow celebrated under the name of Ajagava and a number of
shafts made of horn, together with an impenetrable coat of mail, came
to his possession on the very same day, O scion of Bharata's race ! And
he was placed on the throne by Indra himself and he conquered the
three worlds in a righteous way, as Vishnu did by his three strides. And
the wheel of the car of that mighty king was irresistible in its course
(throughout the worldX And the gems, of their own accord, came into
the possession of that saintly king. This is the tract of land, O lord of
earth, which belonged to him. It abounds in wealth. He performed a
number of sacrificial rites of various kinds, in which abundant gratuities
were paid to the priests. O king ! he of mighty force and unmeasured
lustre, erected sacred piles, and performed splendid pious deeds, and
attained the position of sitting at Indra's side. That sagacious king of un-
swerving piety sent forth his fiat, and simply by its virtue conquered the
earth, together with the sea — that source of gems — and all the cities (of
the earth), O great king ! The sacrificial grounds prepared by him were
to be found all over the earth on all sides round — not a single spot, but
was marked with the same. O great king ! the mighty monarch is said
to have given to the Brahmanas ten thousand padmas of kine. When
there was a drought, which continued for twelve consecutive years,
the mighty king caused rain to come down for the growth of crops,
paying no heed to Indra, the wielder of the thunder-bolt, who remained
staring (at him). The mighty ruler of the Gandhara land, born in the
lunar dynasty of kings, who was terrible like a roaring cloud, was slain
by him, who wounded him sorely with his shafts. O king ! he of cultured
soul protected the four orders of people, and by him of mighty force
the worlds were kept from harm., by virtue of his austere and righteous
life. This is the spot where he, lustrous like the sun, sacrificed to the
god. Look at it ! here it is, in the midst of the field of the Kurus,
situated in a iract, the holiest of all. O preceptor of earth ! requested
by thee, I have thus narrated to thee the great life of Mandhata, and
also the way in which he was born, which was a birth of an extra-
ordinary kind.' "
Vaisampayana said, "O scion of Bharata's race ! Kunti's son, thus
addressed by the mighty saint, Lomasa, immediately put fresh questions
to him, with regard to Somaka."
SECTION CXXVII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
Yudhishthira said, 'O best of speakers ! what was the extent of
power and strength possessed by king Somaka ? I am desirous of hearing
an exact account of his deeds and of his power."
"Lomasa said, *O Yudhishthira ! there was a virtuous king Somaka
by name. He had one hundred wives, O king, all suitably matched to
their husband. He took great care, but could not succeed in getting a
single son from any one of them, and a long time elapsed during which
he continued a sonless man. Once on a time, when he had become old,
and was trying every means to have a son, a son was born to him, Jantu
by name, out of that century of women. And, O ruler of men ! All the
mothers used to sit surrounding their son and every one giving him such
objects as might conduce to his enjoyment and pleasure. And it came
to pass that one day an ant stung the boy at his hip. And the boy
screamed loudly on account of the pain caused by the sting. And
forthwith the mothers were exceedingly distressed to see how the child
had been stung by the ant. And they stood around him and set up
cries. Thus there arose a tumultuous noise. And that scream of pain
suddenly reached (the ears of) the sovereign of the earth, when he was
seated in the midst of his ministers, with the family priest at his side.
Then the king sent for information as to what it was about. And the
royal usher explained to him precisely what the matter was with refer-
ence to his son. And Somaka got up together with his ministers and
hastened towards the female apartments. And on coming there, O sub-
jugator of foes ! he soothed his son. And having done so and coming
out from the female apartments, the king sat with his family priest
and ministers.'
"Somaka then spake thus, 'Fie on having only a single son ! I had
rather be a sonless man. Considering how constantly liable to disease
are all organized beings, to have an only son is but a trouble. O Brah-
mana ! O my lord ! With the view that I might have many sons born to
me, this century of wiv es hath been wedded by me, after inspection, and
after I had satisfied myself that they would prove suitable to me. But
issue they have none. Having tried every means, and put forth great
efforts, they have borne this single son, Jantu. What grief can be
greater than this ? O most excellent of the twice- born caste ! I am
grown old in years and so are my wives too. And yet this only son is
like the breath of their nostrils, and so he is to me also. But is there
any ceremony, by celebrating which one may get a hundred sons ?
(And if there is one such), tell me whether it is great or small, and
easy or difficult to perform.'
VANA PABVA 275
"The family priest said, 'There is a ceremony by virtue of which a
man may get a century of sons. If thou art able to perform it, O Somaka,
then I shall explain it to thee.'
"Somaka said, 'Whether it be a good or an evil deed, the ceremony
by which a hundred sons may be born, may be taken by thee as already
performed. Let thy blessed self explain it to me.'
"The family priest thereupon said, 'O king ! Let me set on foot a
sacrifice and thou must sacrifice thy son, Jantu in it. Then on no dis-
tant date, a century of handsome sons will be born to thee. When
Jantu's fat will be put into the fire as an offering to the gods, the
mothers will take a smell of that smoke, and bring forth a number of
sons, valourous and strong. And Jantu also will once more be born as a
self -begotten son of thine in that very (mother) ; and on his back there
will appear a mark of gold.' "
SECTION CXXVIII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Somaka said, 'O Brahmana ! whatever is to be performed — do
precisely as it may be necessary. As I am desirous of having a number
of sons, I shall do all that may be prescribed by thee.'
"Lomasa said, 'Then the priest officiated in the sacrifice in which
Jantu was offered as the victim. But the mothers in pity forcibly
snatched the son and took him away. And they cried, 'We are undone !'
And they were smitten with torturing grief and they caught hold of
Jantu by his right hand, and wept in a piteous way. But the officiating
priest held the boy by the right hand and pulled him. And like female
ospreys they screamed in agony ! but the priest dragged the son, killed
him and made a burnt offering of his fat in the proper form. And, O
delight of the race of Kuru ! While the fat was being made an offering
of the agonised mothers smelt its smell, and of a sudden fell to the
ground (and swooned away.) And then all those lovely women became
with child, and O lord of men ! O scion of Bharata's race ! When ten
months had passed a full century of sons was born to Somaka begotten
on all those women. And, O monarch of the earth ! Jantu became the
eldest and was born of his former mother and he became the most belov-
ed to the women, — not so were their own sons. And on his back there
was that mark of gold and of that century of sons, he was also superior
in merit. Then that family priest of Somaka departed this life as also
Somaka after a certain time. Now he beheld that the priest was being
grilled in a terrible hell. And thereupon he questioned him, 'Why art
thou, O Brahmana ! being grilled in this hell ?' Then the family priest
exceedingly scorched with fire, spake to him saying, 'This is the outcome
of my having officiated in that sacrifice of thine.' O king, hearing this,
the saintly king thus spake to the god who meteth out punishments to
departed souls, 1 shall enter here. Set free my officiating priest ; this
revered man is being grilled by hell- fire on my account only.'
"Dharmaraja thereat answered thus, 'One cannot enjoy or suffer
for another person's acts. O best of speakers ! these are the fruits of
thy acts ; see it here.'
"Somaka said, 'Without this Brahmana here, I desire not go to
the blessed regions. My desire is to dwell in company with this very
man, either in the abode of the gods, or in hell, for, O Dharmaraja ! my
deed is identical with what hath been done by him and the fruit of our
virtuous or evil deed must be the same for both of us.'
"Dharmaraja said, 'O king ! If this is thy wish, then taste with
him the fruit of that act, for the same period that he must do. After
that, thou shalt go to the blessed regions'.
"Lomasa said, 'The lotus-eyed king did all that exactly in the way
prescribed to him. And when his sins were worked off, he was set free
together with the priest. O king ! Fond of the priest as he was, he won
all those blessings to which he had entitled himself by his meritorious
acts and shared everything with the family priest. This is his hermitage
which looketh lovely before our eyes. Any one would attain the blessed
regions, if he should spend six nights here controlling his passions. O
king of kings ! O leader of the tribe of Kurus ! Here, free from excite-
ment and self-controlled, we must spend six nights. Be thou ready
therefor.' '1
SECTION CXXIX
(TirtUa-yatra Parva continued)
"Lomasa said, 'Here, O king ! The lord of born beings himself
performed a sacrifice in former times, — the ceremony called Ishtikrita,
which occupied one thousand years. And Amvarisha, son of Nabhaga,
sacrificed near the Yamuna river. And having sacrificed there, he gave
away ten Padmas (of gold coins) to the attendant priests, and he obtain-
ed the highest success by his sacrifices and austerities. And, O Kunti's
son ! This is the spot where that sovereign of the entire earth,
Nahusha's son, Yayati, of unmeasured force, and who led a holy life,
performed his sacrificial rites. He competed with Indra and performed
his sacrifice here. Behold how the ground is studded with places for the
sacrificial fires of various forms, and how the earth seems to be subsid-
ing here under the pressure of Yayati's pious works. This is the Sami
tree, which hath got but a single leaf, and this is a most excellent
lake. Behold these lakes of Parasurama, and the hermitage of
Narayana. O protector of earth ! This is the path which was followed
by Richika's son, of unmeasured energy, who roamed over the earth,
VANA PAEVA 277
practising the Yoga rites in the river Raupya. And, O delight of the
tribe of Kurus ! Hear what a Pisacha woman (she-goblin), who was
decked with pestles for her ornaments, said (to a Brahmana woman),
as I was reciting here the table of genealogy. (She said), 'Having eaten
curd in Yugandhara, and lived in Achutasthala, and also bathed in
Bhutilaya, thou shouldst live with thy sons. Having passed a single
night here, if thou wilt spend the second, the events of the night will
be different from those that have happened to thee in the day-time.
O most righteous of Bharata's race ! Today we shall spend the night at
this very spot. O scion of Bharata's race ! this is the threshold of the
field of the Kurus. O king ! At this very spot, the monarch Yayati,
son of Nahusha, performed sacrificial rites, and made gifts of an abun-
dance of gems. And Indra was pleased with those sacred rites. This
is an excellent holy bathing-place on the river Yamuna, known as
Plakshavatarana (descent of the banian tree). Men of cultured minds
call it the entrance to the region of heaven. O respected sir ! here,
after having performed sacrificial rites of the Saraswata kind, and
making use of the sacrificial stake for their pestle, the highest order of
saints performed the holy plunge prescribed at the end of a sacred cere-
mony, O monarch ! King Bharata here performed sacrificial rites. To
celebrate the horse-sacrifice, he here set free the horse who was the
intended victim. That monarch had won the sovereignty of the earth
by righteousness. The horses he let go more than once were of a colour
checkered with black. O tiger among men ! it was here that Marutta
sheltered by Samvartta, leader of saints, succeeded in performing excell-
ent sacrifices. O sovereign of kings I Having taken his bath at this
spot, one can behold all the worlds, and is purified from his ev il deeds.
Do thou, therefore, bathe at this spot.' "
Vaisampayana said, "Then that most praiseworthy of Pandu's sons,
there bathed with his brothers, while the mighty saints were uttering
laudatory words to him. And he addressed the following words to
Lomasa, 'O thou whose strength lieth in truthfulness! By virtue of
this pious act, I behold all the worlds. And from this place, I behold
that most praiseworthy of Pandu's sons Arjuna, the rider of white steed."
'Lomasa said, 'It is even so, O thou of powerful arms I The saints
of the highest order thus behold all the regions. Behold this holy
Saraswati here, thronged by persons who look upon her as their sole
refuge. O most praiseworthy of men ! having bathed here, thou wilt
be free from all thy sins. O Kunti's son ! here the celestial saints per-
formed sacrificial rites of Saraswata kind ; and so did the saints and the
royal saints. This is the altar of the lord of beings, five yojanas in
extent on all sides round. And this is the field of the magnanimous
Kurus, whose habit it was to perform sacrifices.' "
SECTION CXXX
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Lomasa said, 'O son of Bharata's race ! If mortals breathe their
last at this spot, they go to heaven. O king ! Thousands upon thousands
of men come to this place to die. A blessing was pronounced on this spot
by Daksha, when he was engaged in sacrifice here, (in these words),
Those men that shall die at this spot shall win a place in heaven.' Here
is the beautiful and sacred river, Saraswati, full of water ; and here, O
lord of men, is the spot known as Vinasana, or the place where the
Saraswati disappeared. Here is the gate of the kingdom of the Nishadas
and it is from hatred for them that the Saraswati entered into the earth
in order that the Nishadas might not see her. Here too is the sacred
region of Chamashodbheda where the Saraswati once more became visi-
ble to them. And here she is joined by other sacred rivers running sea-
wards. O conqueror of foes, here is the sacred spot known by the name
of Sindhu — where Lopamudra accepted the great sage Agastya as her
lord and, O thou whose effulgence is like unto that of the sun, here is
the sacred tirtha called Prabhasa, the favoured spot of Indra and which
removeth all sins. Yonder is visible the region of Vishnupada. And
here is the delightful and sacred river, Vipasa. From grief for the
death of his sons the great sage Vasistha had thrown himself into this
stream, after binding his limbs. And when he rose from the water, lo !
he was unfettered. Look, O king, with thy brothers at the sacred region
of Kasmeera, frequented by holy sages. Here, O scion of Bharata's race,
is the spot, where a conference took place between Agni and the sage
Kasyapa, and also between Nahusha's son and the sages of the north.
And, O great prince, yonder is the gate of the Manasasarovara. In the
midst of this mountain, a gap hath been opened by Rama. And here, O
prince of prowess incapable of being baffled, is the well-known region
of Vatikhanda, which, although adjacent to the gate of Videha, lieth
on the north of it. And, O bull among men, there is another v ery re-
markable thing connected with this place,— namely, that on the waning
of every yuga, the god Siva, having the power to assume any shape at
will, may be seen with Uma and his followers. In yonder lake also
people desirous of securing welfare to the family, propitiate with sacri-
fices the holder of the great bow Pinaka, in the month of Chaitra. And
persons of devotion having passions under control, performing their
ablutions in this lake, become free from sins and, without doubt, attain
to the holy regions. Here is the sacred tirtha called Ujjanaka, where
the holy sage Vasishtha with his wife Arundhati and also the sage
Yavakri obtained tranquillity. Yonder is the lake Kausava, where
VANA PABVA 279
grow the lotuses called Kausesaya, and here also is the sacred hermitage
of Rukmini, where she attained peace, after conquering that evil
passion, anger. I think, O prince, that thou hast heard something
about that man of meditations, Bhrigutunga. There, O king, before thee
is that lofty peak. And, O foremost of kings, yonder is Vitasta, the
sacred stream that absolveth men from all sins. The water of this stream
is extremely cool and limpid, and it is largely used by the great sages.
O prince, behold the holy rivers Jala and Upajala, on either side of the
Yamuna. By performing a sacrifice here, king Usinara surpassed in
greatness Indra himself. And, O descendant of Bharata, desirous of
testing Usinara's merit and also of bestowing boons on him, Indra and
Agni presented themselves at his sacrificial ground. And Indra assum-
ing the shape of a hawk, and Agni that of a pigeon, came unto that
king. And the pigeon in fear of the hawk, fell .-upon the king's thigh,
seeking his protection."
SECTION CXXXI
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"The hawk said, 'All the kings of the earth represent thee as a
pious ruler. Wherefore, O prince, has thou then stooped to perpetrate
a deed not sanctioned by the ordinance? I have been sore afflicted
with hunger. Do thou not withhold from me that which hath been
appointed by the Deity for my food, — under the impression that thereby
thou servest the interests of virtue, whereas in reality, thou wilt
forsake it, (by committing thyself to this act). Thereupon, the king
said, 'O best of the feathered race, afflicted with fear of thee, and desir-
ous of escaping from thy hands, this bird, all in a hurry, hath come
unto me asking for life. When this pigeon hath in such a manner
sought my protection, why dost thou not see that the highest merit is
even in my not surrendering it unto thee ? And it is trembling with
fear, and is agitated, and is seeking its life from me. It is therefore
certainly blameworthy to forsake it. He that slay eth a Brahmana, he
that slaughtereth a cow — the common mother of all the worlds — and
he that forsaketh one seeking for protection are equally sinful.' Thereat
the hawk replied, 'O lord of earth, it is from food that all beings
derive their life, and it is food also that nourisheth and sustaineth them.
A man can live long even after forsaking what is dearest to him,
but he cannot do so, after abstaining from food. Being deprived of
food, my life, O ruler of men, will surely leave this body, and will
attain to regions unknown to such troubles. But at my death, O pious
king, my wife and children will surely perish, and by protecting this
280 MAHABHAEATA
single pigeon, O prince, thou dost not protect many lives. The virtue
that standeth in the way of another virtue, is certainly no virtue at all,
but in reality is unrighteousness. But, O king, whose prowess con-
sisteth in truth, that virtue is worthy of the name, which is not
conflicting. After instituting a comparison between opposing virtues,
and weighing their comparative merits, one, O great prince, ought to
espouse that which is not opposing. Do thou, therefore, O king,
striking a balance between virtues, adopt that which preponderates.'
At this the king said, 'O best of birds, as thou speakest words fraught
with much good, I suspect thee to be Suparna, the monarch of birds. I
have not the least hesitation to declare that thou art fully conversant
with the ways of virtue. As thou speakest wonders about virtue, I
think that there is nothing connected with it, that is unknown to thee.
How canst thou then consider the forsaking of one, seeking for help, as
virtuous ? Thy efforts in this matter, O ranger of the skies, have
been in quest of food. Thou canst, however, appease thy hunger with
some other sort of food, even more copious. I am perfectly willing to
procure for thee any sort of food that to thee may seem most tasteful,
even if it be an ox, or a boar, or a deer, or a buffalo.' Thereupon the
hawk said, 'O great king, I am not desirous of eating ( the flesh of ) a
boar or an ox or the various species of beasts. What have I to do with
any other sort of food ? Therefore, O bull among the Kshatriyas, leave
to me this pigeon, whom Heav en hath today ordained for my food, O
ruler of earth, that hawks eat pigeons is the eternal prov ision. O
prince, do not for support embrace a plantain tree, not knowing its
want of strength.' The king said, 'Ranger of the skies, I am willing to
bestow on thee this rich province of my race, or any other thing that
to thee may seem desirable. With the sole exception of this pigeon,
which hath approached me craving my protection, I shall be glad to
give unto thee anything that thou mayst like. Let me know what I
shall have to do for the deliverance of this bird. But this I shall not
return to thee on any condition whatever.' "
"The hawk said, 'O great ruler of men, if thou hast conceived an
affection for this pigeon, then cut off a portion of thine own flesh, and
weigh it in a balance, against this pigeon. And when thou hast found
it equal ( in weight ) to the pigeon, then do thou give it unto me, and
that will be to my satisfaction.' Then the king replied, 'This request
of thine, O hawk, I consider as a favour unto me, and, therefore, I will
give unto thee even my own flesh, after weighing it in a balance.'
"Lomasa said, 'Saying this, O mighty son of Kunti, the highly
v irtuous king cut off a portion of his own flesh, and placed it in a
balance, against the pigeon. But when he found that pigeon exceeded
his flesh in weight, he once more cut off another portion of his flesh,
VANA PABVA 281
and added it to the former. When portion after portion had been
repeatedly added to weigh against the pigeon, and no more flesh was left
body, he mounted the scale himself, utterly devoid of flesh
The hawk then said, 'I am Indra, O virtuous king, and this pigeon
x i Agm, the carrier of the sacrificial clarified butter. We had come unto
thy sacrificial ground, desirous of testing thy merit. Since thou hast
cut off thy own flesh from thy body, thy glory shall be resplendent, and
shall surpass that of all others in the worlds. As long as men, O king
speak of thee, so long shall thy glory endure, and thou shalt in'
habit the holy regions.' Saying this to the king, Indra ascended to heaven
> the virtuous king Usinara, after having filled heaven and earth
. h the merit of his piousdeeds, ascended to heaven ina radiantshape
- ) king, the residence of that noble-hearted monarch. Here
king, are seen holy sages and gods, together with virtuous and high-'
souled Brahmanas.
SECTION CXXXII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Lomasa said, 'See here, O lord of men, the sacred hermitage of
Swetaketu, son of Uddalaka, whose fame as an expert in the sacred
mantras is so widely spread on earth. This hermitage is graced with
cocoanut trees. Here Swetaketu beheld the goddess Saraswati in her
uman shape, and spake unto her, saying, 'May I be endowed with the
Jf I of speech f In that w«, Swetaketu, the son of Uddalaka, and
Ashtavakra, the son of Kahoda, who stood to each other in the relation
8 and nephew, were the best of those conversant with the sacred
Those two Brahmanas, of matchless energy, who bore unto each
: the relationship of uncle and nephew, went into the sacrificia
.round of king Janaka and there defeated Vandin ina controversy
Worship O son of Kunti, with thy brothers, the sacred hermitage of him
< had for his grandson Ashtavakra, who, even when a mere child
had caused Vandin to be drowned in a river, after having defeated him
in a (literary) contest.'
"Yudhishthirasaid, 'Tell me, O Lomasa, all about the power of
; ; 5 man, who had m that way defeated Vandin. Why was he born a
Ashtavakra (crooked in eight parts in his body) ?'
"Lomasa said, 'The sage Uddalaka had a disciple named - Kahoda
of subdued passions, and entirely devoted to the service of hispreceptor
and who had continued his studies long. The Brahmana had served 1 hi<
. .tor long and his preceptor, recognising his service, gave him his own
I'1? r\ )ata> marriage' aS Wdl as a mastery °ver ^e Shastras
And she became with child, radiant as fire. And the embryo addressed
• father while employed in reading, 'O father, thou hast been reading
232 MAHABHAEATA
the whole night, but (of all that) thy reading doth not seem to me
correct. Even in my fetal state I have, by thy favour, become versed
in the Shastras and the Vedas with their several branches. I say, O
father, that what proceeds from thy mouth, is not correct/ Thus
insulted in the presence of his disciples, the great sage in anger cursed
his child in the womb, saying, 'Because thou speakest thus even while
in the womb, therefore thou shalt be crooked in eight parts of the body.'
The child was accordingly born crooked, and the great sage was ever
after known by the name of Ashtavakra. Now, he had an uncle
named Swetaketu who was the same age with himself. Afflicted by the
growth of the child in the womb, Sujata, desirous of riches, conciliating
her husband who had no wealth told him in private : 'How shall I
manage, O great sage, the tenth month of my pregnancy having come ?
Thou hast no substance whereby I may extricate myself from the
exigencies, after I have been delivered/ Thus addressed by his wife,
Kahoda went unto king Janaka for riches. He was there defeated in a
controversy by Vandin, well versed in the science of arguments, and
(in consequence) was immersed into water. And hearing that his
son-in-law had been defeated in a controversy by Vandin and caused to
be drowned by him, Uddalaka spake unto his daughter Sujata, saying,
'Thou shalt keep it a secret from Ashtavakra.' She accordingly kept
her counsel — so that Ashtavakra, when born, had heard nothing about
the matter. And he regarded Uddalaka as his father and Swetaketu as
his brother. And when Ashtavakra was in his twelfth year, Sweta-
ketu one day saw the former seated on his father's lap. And thereat he
pulled him by the hand, and on Ashtavakra's beginning to cry, he told
him, 'It is not the lap of thy father.' This cruel communication went
direct into Ashtavakra's heart and it pained him sorely. And he went
home and asked his mother saying, 'Where is my father ?' Thereupon
Sujata who was greatly afflicted (by his question), and apprehending a
curse told him all that had happened. And having heard all, the
Brahmana at night said unto his uncle Swetaketu, 'Let us go unto the
sacrifice of king Janaka, wherein many wonderful things are to be seen.
There we shall listen to the controversy between the Brahmanas and
shall partake of excellent food. Our knowledge also will increase. The
recitation of the sacred Vedas is sweet to hear and is fraught with
blessings.' Then they both — uncle and nephew — went unto the splendid
sacrifice of king Janaka. And on being driven from the entrance,
Ashtavakra met the king and addressed him in the following words."
SECTION CXXXIII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Ashtavakra said 'When no Brahmana is met with on the way, the
way belonged, to the blind, the deaf, the women, carriers of burden and
spectively. But when a Brahmana is met with on the way, it
longeth to him alone.' Thereupon the king said, 'I give the privil ge
enter. Do thou, therefore, go in by whatever way thou likest. No
fire ever so small is to be slighted. Even Indra himself boweth unto
the Brahmanas. At this Ashtavakra said, 'We have come, O ruler of
aen, to w.tae* , thy sacrificial ceremony and our curiosity, O kir
y great. And v/e have come here as guests. We want the
thy order (to enter). And, O son of Indradyumna, we hlvTcome
•>•-•• ang the sacrifice, and to meet king Janaka and speak to him
fever/ Tn^tarde^a^-Weral *" °™ ^ burneth us ' like
to what I have to say. ^^t^rM^^^S'^^
M ?* ,V r£!l f mnaS that are allowed to enter ' Ashtavakra
said, If thls be the condition, O warder, that the door is open to those
only that are old, then we have a right to enter. We are old and we
• Z th VV, rCred I°WS and afe in POSSession of ener«y proceeding
•••" Ved.clore. And we have served our superiors and subdued
our passions-and have also won proficiency in knowledge, ft is said
that even boys are not to be slgihted,-for a fire, small though it be
burneth on being touched.' The warder replied, 'O young Brahmana I
si 'you a boy, and therefore recite, if you know, the verse demons-
/ lXTnC,eu ^ SUPreme Bdng' and adored by the divine
; I - "Inch, although composed of one letter, is yet multifarious.
Make no vain boast. Learned men are really very rare.' Ashtavakra
aid True growth cannot be inferred from the mere development of
the body as the growth of the knots of the Salmali tree cannot signify
its age^ That tree is called full-grown which although slender and short
bearethfru^ But that which doth not bear fruits, is not considered
as grown. The warder said, 'Boys receive instruction from the old and
they also in time grow old. Knowledge certainly is not attainable in a
1 * £ Wherefore then, being a child, dost thou talk like an old
Then Ashtavakra said, 'One is not old because his head is gray
But the gods regard him as old who, although a child in years is yet
possessed of knowledge. The sages have not laid down that a man's
merit consists in years, or gray hair, or wealth, or friends. To us he is
great who is versed in the Vedas. I have come here, O porter, desirous
f seeing Vandm in the court. Go and inform king Janaka, who hath a
-= lotuses on his neck, that I am here. Thou shah to-day see
284 MAHABHARATA
me enter into a dispute with the learned men, and defeat Vandin in a
controversy. And when others have been silenced, the Brahmanas of
matured learning and the king also with his principal priests, bear wit-
ness to the superior or the inferior quality of my attainments.' The war-
der said, 'How canst thou, who art but in thy tenth year, hopa to enter
into this sacrifice, into which learned and educated men only are admit-
ted ? I shall, however, try some means for thy admittance. Do thou also
try thyself/ Ashtavakra then addressing the king said, 'O king, O fore-
most of Janaka's race, thou art the paramount sovereign and all power
reposeth in thee. In times of old, king Yayati was the celebrator of
sacrifices. And in the present age, thou it is that art performer there-
of. We have heard that the learned Vandin, after defeating (in contro-
versy) men expert in discussion, causeth them to be drowned by faithful
servants employed by thee. Hearing this, I have come before these
Brahmanas, to expound the doctrine of the unity of the Supreme Being.
Where is now Vandin ? Tell me so that I may approach him, and des-
troy him, even as the sun destroyeth the stars.' Thereupon the king said,
'Thou hopest, O Brahmana, to defeat Vandin, not knowing his power
of speech. Can those who are familiar with his power, speak as thou
dost ? He hath been sounded by Brahmanas versed in the Vedas. Thou
hopest to defeat Vandin, only because thou knowest not his powers (of
speech). Many a Brahmana hath waned before him, even as the stars
before the sun. Desirous of defeating him, people proud of their learning,
have lost their glory on appearing before him, and have retired from
his presence, without even venturing to speak with the members of the
assembly/ Ashtavakra said, 'Vandin hath never entered into disputa-
tion with a man like myself, and it is for this only that he looketh upon
himself as a lion, and goeth about roaring like one. But to-day meeting
me he will lie down dead, even like a cart on the highway, of which the
wheels have been deranged.' The king said, 'He alone is a truly learned
man who understandeth the significance of the thing that hath thirty
divisions, twelve parts, twenty four joints, and three hundred and sixty
spokes/ Ashtavakra said, 'May that ever-moving wheel that hath
twenty four joints, six naves, twelve peripheries, and sixty spokes
protect thee I1' The king said, 'Who amongst the gods beareth those
two which go together like two mares (yoked to a car), and sweep like
a hawk, and to what also do they give birth ?' Ashtavakra said, 'May
God, O king, forfend the presence of these two2 in thy house ; aye, even
1 This wheel is the wheel of Time— i.e., measured according to the
solar, lunar and astral revolutions. The importance of Ashtavakra's reply
is this : May the meritorious deeds performed at proper times during the
revolution of this wheel of Time protect thee.
2 Thunder and lightning or misery and death.
VANA PABVA 285
in the house of thine enemies. He who appeareth, having for his chario-
teer the wind,1 begetteth them, and they also produce him.' There-
upon the king said, 'What is that doth not close its eyes even while
sleeping ; what is it that doth not move, even when born ; what is it
that hath no heart ; and what doth increase even in its own speed ?'
Ashtavakra said, 'It is a fish'2 that doth not close its eye-lids, while sleep-
ing ; and it is an egg3 that doth not move when produced ; it is stone4
that hath no heart ; and it is a river8 that increase in its own speed.'
"The king said, It seemeth, O possessor of di v ine energy, that thou
art no human being. I consider thee not a boy, but a matured man ;
there is no other man who can compare with thee in the art of speech.
I therefore give thee admittance. There is Vandin.' "
SECTION CXXXIV
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Ashtavakra said, 'O king, O leader of fierce legions, in this
assembly of monarchs of unrivalled power who have met together, I
am unable to find out Vandin, chief of the controversialists. But I am
searching for him, even as one doth for a swan on a vast expanse of
water. O Vandin, thou regardest thyself as the foremost of controver-
sialists. When thou wilt engage with me in staking, thou wilt not be able
to flow like the current of a river. I am like a full-flaming fire. Be silent
before me, O Vandin ! Do not awaken a sleeping tiger. Know that
thou shalt not escape unstung, after trampling on the head of a veno-
mous snake, licking the corners of its mouth with its tongue, and who
hath been hurt by thy foot. That weak man, who, in pride of strength,
attempts to strike a blow at a mountain, only gets his hands and nails
hurt, but no wound is left on the mountain itself. As the other mountains
are inferior to the Mainaka, and as calves are inferior to the ox, so are
all other kings of the earth inferior to the lord of Mithila. And as
Indra is the foremost of celestials, and as the Ganga is the best of rivers,
so thou alone art, O king, the greatest of monarchs. O king, cause
Vandin to be brought to my presence.'
"Lomasa said, 'Saying this, O Yudhishthira* wroth with Vandin,
Ashtavakra thus thundered in the assembly, and addressed him in these
words, 'Do thou answer my questions, and I shall answer thine.' There-
at Vandin said, 'One only fire blazeth forth in various shapes ; one
only sun illumineth this whole world ; one only hero, Indra, the lord of
celestials, destroy eth enemies ; and one only Yama is the sole lord of
1 Cloud or the mind. 2 The male being that is ever conscious.
3 The mundane egg. 4 The soul that has renounced connection
5 The heart of a Yogi. with the body.
236 MAHABHABATA
the Pitris.1 Ashtavakra said, 'The two friends, Indra and Agni, ever
move together ; the two celestial sages are Narada and Parvata ; twins
are the Aswinikumaras ; two is the number of the wheels of a car ;
and it is as a couple that husband and wife live together, as ordained by
the deity.'2 Vandin said, Three kinds of born beings are produced by
acts ; the three Vedas together perform the sacrifice, Vajapeya ; at three
different times, the Adhwaryus commence sacrificial rites ; three is
the number of words; and three also are the divine lights.3' Ashtavakra
said, 'Four are the Asramas of the Brahmanas ; the four orders perform
sacrifices ; four are the cardinal points ; four is the number of letters ;
and four also, as is ever known, are the legs of a cow.4' Vandin said,
4Five is the number of fires; five are the feet of the metre called Punki ;
five are the sacrifices ; five locks, it is said in the Vedas, are on the
heads of the Apsaras : and five sacred rivers are known in the world.5'
Ashtavakra said, 'Six cows, it is asserted by some, are paid as a gratu-
ity on the occasion of establishing the sacred fire ; six are the seasons
belonging to the wheel of time ; six is the number of the senses ; six
stars constitute the constellation Kirtika ; and six, it is found in all the
Vedas, is the number of the Sadyaska sacrifice/6 Vandin said, 'Seven is
1 Ashtavakra comes to Janaka's sacrifice with the object of proving the unity of the
Supreme Being. Vandin avails himself of various systems of Philosophy to combat his
opponent. He begins with the Buddhistic system. The form of the dialogue is unique in
literature being that of enigmas and the latent meaning is in a queer way hid under
the appearaace of puetile aud heterogeneous combinations of things.
Vandin opens the controversy by saying that as the number of each of these is one,
so one only intellect is the lord, leader and guide of the senses.
2 There isaVedic revelation that two bird* live together on a tree as friends-
one of these eats the fruits and the other looks at the former. From this it is manifest
that two are the lords, leaders and guides of the senses. That there is a second faculty
besides the intellect is also proved by the fact that in sleep when the intellect is inactive
thit faculty continues in action, for if it were not so we could not remember having
slept, nor connect the state after awaking with that preceding sleep. Accordingly by
citing the number two Ashtavakra asserts that besides intellect there is another faculty
—consciousness that these two ate jointly the lords, leaders and guides of the senses
and that they act together as Indra and Agni, &c.
3 By citing the number three Vandin means to say that as it is Acts that produce
the three kinds of born beings, etc., so Acts are supreme and that everything else
bi it intellect alone, or intellect and consciousness together is subservient to Acts.
4 Ashtavakra here advances the thesis that even if Acts be supreme still when the
(fourth) or Supreme Being becomes manifest to the soul, it stands in no further needs
to Acts.
5 By bringing in the quinquennial series, Vandin wishes to assert that the five senses
are competent to cognise their respective objects and that besides these senses and their
objects there is neither any other sense to perceive nor any other object of perception.
He also cites the authority of the Veda according to which the Apsaras (or conscious-
ness) have five •'locks" on their hands— i.e., five objects of perception.
6 Besides the five senses Ashtavakra contends for an additional sense namely the
Mind and accordingly cites the number six.
VANA PARVA 287
the number of the domesticated animals ; seven are the wild animals ;
seven metres are used in completing a sacrifice ; seven are the Eisliis,
seven forms of paying homage are extant (in the world) ; and seven, it is
known, are the strings of the Vina.1' Ashtavakra said, 'Eight are the
bags containing a hundred fold ; eight is the number of the legs of the
Sarabha, which preyethupon lions ; eight Vasus, as we hear, are amongst
the celestials ; and eight are the angles of yupa (stake), in all sacrificial
rites.'2 Vandin said, 'Nine is the number of the mantras used in
kindling the fire in sacrifices to the Pitris ; nine are the appointed func-
tions in the processes of creation ; nine letters compose the foot of the
metre, Vrihati ; and nine also is ever the number of the figures (in
calculation).3' Ashtavakra said, 'Ten is said to be the number of
cardinal points, entering into the cognition of men in this world ; ten
times hundred make up a thousand ; ten is the number of months,
during which women bear ; and ten are the teachers of true knowledge,
and ten, the haters thereof, and ten again are those capable of learning
it.4' Vandin said, 'Eleven are the objects enjoyable by beings ; eleven
is the number of the yupas ; eleven are the changes of the natural state
pertaining to those having life ; and eleven are the Rudras among the
gods in heaven.5' Ashtavakra said, 'Twelve months compose the year ;
twelve letters go to the composition of afoot of the metre called Jagati;
twelve are the minor sacrifices ; and twelve, according to the learned,
is the number of the Adityas.6' Vandin said, 'The thirteenth lunar day
1 Vandin admits the existence of the six senses but says that the
soul experiences happiness and misery through those as well as through the
intellect.
2 Ashtavakra advances an eighth element, namely, the knowledge of
the ego.
3 Each of the three qualities (existence, foulness and ignorance) of
prakriti (the passive or material cause of the world) mixing with each of
the three corresponding qualities of pradhana (the active or spiritual cause
of the world) in various proportions produces the mundane order of things.
Thus is proved the eternity of prakriti or nature and is also established the
doctrine of duality.
4 Prakriti does not really create. It is the Supreme Being who
through the medium of illusion in contract with the ten organs (viz., the five
locomotive organs and the five organs of sense) makes manifest the system
of things. Prakriti therefore has no real existence — her existence is only
apparent in the real existence of the soul.
5 Yupas (stakes) mean here, feelings, etc., which keep men bound to
the world. Rudras are those who make others cry.
Vandin means to say that the soul is not essentially free from the
fetters of happiness and misery arising from the eleven objects of perception.
In this world all men are subject to happiness and misery. We also hear
that there are Rudras in heaven.
6 The supreme soul unaffected by happiness and misery really exists —
but His existence is not susceptible of being proved — nor can the ignorant
288 MAHABHAEATA
is considered the most auspicious ; thirteen islands exist on earth.11
Lomasa said, 'Having proceeded thus far, Vandin stopped. There-
upon Ashtavakra supplied the latter half of the sloka. Ashtavakra said,
'Thirteen sacrifices are presided over by Kesi ; and thirteen are
devoured by Atichhandas, (the longer metres) of the Veda.8 And seeing
Ashtavakra speaking and the Suta's son silent, and pensive, and with
head downcast, the assembly broke into a long uproar. And when the
tumult thus arose in the splendid sacrifice performed by king Janaka,
the Brahmanas well pleased, and with joined hands, approached Ashta-
vakra, and began to pay him homage.'
"Thereupon Ashtavakra said, 'Before this, this man, defeating the
Brahmanas in controversy, used to cast them into water. Let Vandin
to-day meet with the same fate. Seize him and drown him in water.'
Vandin said, 'O Janaka, I am the son of king Varuna. Simultaneously
with thy sacrifice, there also hath commenced a sacrifice extending over
twelve years. It is for this that I have despatched the principal
Brahmanas thither. They have gone to witness Varuna's sacrifice. Lo !
there they are returning. I pay homage to the worshipful Ashtavakra,
by whose grace to-day I shall join him who hath begot me.'
"Ashtavakra said, 'Defeating the Brahmanas either by words or
subtlety, Vandin had cast them into the waters of the sea. (That Vedic
truth which he had suppressed by false arguments), have I to-day
rescued by dint of my intellect. Now let candid men judge. As Agni,
who knoweth the character of both the good and the bad, leaveth
unscorched by his heat the bodies of those whose designs are honest,
and is thus partial to them, so good men judge the assertions of boys,
although lacking the power of speech, and are favourably disposed towards
ever perceive Him. Men attain that condition through these twelve, viz.,
virtue, true, self-restraint, penances, good-will, modesty, forgivenees, exemp-
tion from envy, sacrifice, charity, concentration and control over the senses.
1 According to some, endeavours to attain emancipation can be
successful not in this world but in the world of Brahma. Others say that
to that end a special yoga is necessary. By bringing forward the objects
numbering thirteen. Vandin advances the opinion that, virtue, etc.* are not
sufficient for purposas of emancipation but that suitable time and place are
also essential.
2 Ashtavakra concludes by citing the same number thirteen. The soul
which is essentially unaffected, becomes subject to happiness and misery
through the thirteen, viz., the ten organs of locomotion and sense, and
intellect, mind and egoism But Atichhanadas, i.e., those that have surmount-
ed ignorance, namely, the twelve, virtue, &c, destroy those thirteen and that
is emancipation.
VANA PARVA 289
them. O Janaka, thou hearest my words as if thou hast been stupefied
in consequence of having eaten the fruit of the Sleshmataki tree. Or
flattery hath robbed thee of thy sense, and for this it is that although
pierced by my words as an elephant (by the hook), thou hearest them
not.'
"Janaka said, 'Listening to thy words, I take them to be
excellent and superhuman. Thy form also standeth manifest as super-
human. As thou hast to-day defeated Vandin in discussion, I place
even him at thy disposal.' Ashtavakra said, 'O king, Vandin remaining
alive, will not serve any purpose of mine. If his father be really
Varuna, let him be drowned in the sea.' Vandin said, 1 am King
Varuna's son. I have no fear (therefore) in being drowned. Even at
this moment, Ashtavakra shall see his long-lost sire, Kahoda.'
"Lomasa said, 'Then rose before Janaka all the Brahmanas, after
having been duly worshipped by the magnanimous Varuna. Kahoda
said, 'It is for this, O Janaka, that men pray for sons, by performing
meritorious acts. That in which I had failed hath been achieved by my
son. Weak persons may hav e sons endued with strength ; dunces may
have intelligent sons; and the illiterate may ha v e sons possessed of
learning.' Vandin said, 'It is with thy sharpened axe, O monarch, that
even Yama severeth the heads of foes. May prosperity attend thee ! In
this sacrifice of king Janaka, the principal hymns relating to the Uktha
rites are being chanted, and the Soma juice also is being adequately
quaffed. And the gods themselves, in person, and with cheerful hearts,
are accepting their sacred shares.'
"Lomasa said, 'When in enhanced splendour, the Brahmanas had
risen up, Vandin, taking king Janaka's permission, entered into the
waters of the sea. And then Ashtavakra worshipped his father, and he
himself also was worshipped by the Brahmanas. And having thus de-
feated the Suta's son,' Ashtavakra returned to his own excellent her-
mitage, in company with his uncle. Then in the presence of his mother,
his father addressed him, saying, '(O son), thou speedily enter into this
river, Samanga.' And accordingly, he entered (into the water). (And
as he plunged beneath the water), all his (crooked) limbs were imme-
diately made straight. And from that day that river came to be called
Samanga and she became invested with the virtues of purifying (sins).
He that shall bathe in her, will be freed from his sins. Therefore, O
Yudhishthira, do thou with thy brothers and wife descend to the river,
and perform thy ablutions. O Kunti's son, O scion of the Ajamidha race,
living happily and cheerfully at this place together with thy brothers
and the Brahmanas, thou wilt perform with me other acts of merit,
being intent upon good deeds.' "
1 Su means, excellent, and uta, sacrifice. The compound accordingly
means, — performer of excel lent sacrifice.
SECTION CXXXV
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Lomasa said, 'Here, O king, is visible the river Samanga, whose
former name was Madhuvila, and yonder is the spot named Kardamila,
the bathing place of Bharata. The lord of Sachi, when fallen into misery
in consequence of hav ing slain Vritra, became freed from his sin, by
performing his ablutions in this Samanga. Here, O bull among men, is
the spot where the Mainaka mountain hath sunk into the interior of the
earth : and it is hence called Vinasana. For obtaining sons, here Aditi
in days of yore had cooked that celebrated food, ("presided over by the
Supreme Being). O ye bulls among men, ascend this lofty mountain and
put an end to your inglorious misery unworthy to be uttered. Here, O
king, before thee is the Kanakhala range, the favourite resort of sages.
And yonder is the mighty river Ganga. Here, in ancient times, the
holy sage Sanatkumara attained ascetic success. O scion of the Ajamidha
race, by performing thy ablutions here in this river, thou wilt be freed
from all thy sins. O son of Kunti, do thou together with thy ministers,
touch (the waters) of this lake called Puny a, and this mountain Bhrigu-
tunga and also (the water of) these two rivers, called Tushniganga.
Here, O Kunti's son, appeareth the hermitage of the sage Sthulasiras.
Resign here thy anger and sense of self-importance. There, O son of
Pandu, is seen the beautiful hermitage of Raivya, where perished Bhara-
dwaja's son, Yavakri, profound in Vedic lore/ "
"Yudhishthira said, 'How did the mighty sage, Yavakri, son of the
ascetic Bharadwaja, acquire prof oundity in the Vedas ? And how also
did he perish ? I am anxious to hear all this, just as it happened. I take
delight in listening to the narration of the deeds of god-like men.' "
"Lomasa said, 'Bharadwaja and Raivya were two friends. And they
dwelt here, ever taking the greatest pleasure in each other's company.
Now, Raivya had two sons, named Arvavasu and Paravasu. And,
Bharadwaja, O Bharata's son, had an only son, named Yavakri. Raivya and
his two sons were versed in the Vedas, while Bharadwaja practised
asceticism. But, O son of Bharata, from their boyhood, the friendship
subsisting between those two was unequalled. O sinless one, the high-
spirited Yavakri finding that his father, who practised asceticism, was
slighted by the Brahmanas, while Raivya with his sons was greatly res-
pected by them, was overwhelmed with sorrow, and became sore aggriev-
ed. Thereupon, O son of Pandu, he entered upon severe austerities,
for (obtaining) a knowledge of t^e Vedas. And he exposed his body to
a flaming fire. By thus practising the most rigid austerities, he caused
anxiety in the mind of Indra. Then Indra, O Yudhishthira, went to him
VANA PABVA 291
and addressed him saying, Wherefore, O sage, hast thou become engag-
ed in practising such rigid austerities ?' Yavakri said, 'O thou adored of
celestial hosts, I am practising severe penances, because I wish that such
a knowledge of the Vedas as hath never been acquired by any Brahmana
whatever, may be manifest unto me. O conqueror of Paka, these
endeavours of mine have been for Vedic lore. O Kausika, by the force
of my asceticism, I purpose to obtain all sorts of knowledge. O lord, a
knowledge of the Vedas as learnt through teachers, is acquired in a long
time. Therefore, (with the view of attaining in short time a profi-
ciency in the Vedas), I have put forth these high endeavours.' Indra
said, 'O Brahmana sage, the way that thou hast adopted is not the pro-
per way. What for, O Brahmana, wilt thou destroy thyself ? Go and
learn from the lips of a preceptor.'
"Lomasa said, 'O son of Bharata, having said this, Sakra went
away, and Yavakri of immeasurable energy, once more directed his
attention to asceticism. O king, we have heard that carrying on severe
austerities he again greatly agitated Indra. And the god Indra, slayer
of Vala, again came unto that great sage, who was engaged in austere
penances ; and forbade him, saying, 'Thou art striving with the object
that Vedic lore may be manifest unto thee as well as unto thy father ;
but thy exertions can never be successful, nor is this act of thine well-
advised.' Yavakri said, 'O lord of the celestials, if thou wilt not do for
me what I want, I shall, observing stricter vows, practise still severer
penances. O lord of celestials I know that if thou do not fulfil all my
desires, I shall then cut off my limbs and offer them as a sacrifice into a
blazing fire.'
"Lomasa said, 'Knowing the determination of that high-souled
sage, the sagacious Indra reflected and hit upon some expedient to dis-
suade him. Then Indra assumed the guise of an ascetic Brahmana,
hundreds of years old, and infirm, and suffering from consumption. And
he fell to throwing up a dam with sands, at that spot of the Bhagirathi
to which Yavakri used to descend for performing ablutions. Because
Yavakri, chief of the Brahmanas, paid no heed to Indra's words, the
latter began to fill the Ganga with sands. And without cessation, he
threw handfuls of sand into the Bhagirathi, and began to construct the
dam attracting the notice of the sage. And when that bull among the
sages; Yavakri, saw Indra thus earnestly engaged in constructing the
dam, he broke into laughter, and said the following words, 'What art
thou engaged in, O Brahmana, and what is thy object ? Why dost
thou, for nothing, make this mighty endeavour ?' Indra said, 'I am try-
ing, O my son, to dam the Ganga so that there may be a commodious
passage. People experience considerable difficulty in crossing and
recrossing (the river) by boat.' Yavakri said, 'O thou of ascetic wealth,
292 MAHABHAEATA
thou canst not dam up this mighty current. O Brahmana, desist from,
what is impracticable, and take up something that is practicable/ Indra
said, 'O sage, I have imposed on myself this heavy task, even as, for
obtaining a knowledge of the Vedas, thou hast begun these penances,
which can never be fruitful.1 Yavakri said, If, O chief of the celestials,
those efforts of mine be fruitless, even as those of thy own, then, O lord
of heavenly hosts, be thou pleased to do for me what is practicable.
Vouchsafe unto me boons whereby I may excel other men.'
"Lomasa said, 'Then Indra granted boons, as was prayed for by the
mighty ascetic. Indra said, 'As thou desirest, the Vedas will be mani-
fest unto thee, yea — even unto thy father. And all thy other desires
will also be fulfilled. Return home, O Yavakri.'
"Having thus obtained the object of his desire, Yavakri came
unto his father and said, 'The Vedas, O father, will be manifest unto thee
as well as unto myself and I have obtained boons whereby we shall excel
all men.' Thereat Bharadwaja said, 'O my son, as thou hast obtained the
objects of thy desire, thou wilt be proud. And when thou art puffed up
with pride and hast also become uncharitable, destruction will soon over-
take thee. O my son, there is a current anecdote narrated by the gods.
In ancient times, O son, there liv ed a sage named Valadhi, possessed of
great energy. And in grief for the death of a child, he practised the
severest penances to have a child that should be immortal. And he
obtained a son even as he desired. But the gods, though very favourably
disposed (towards him), did not yet make his son immortal like unto the
gods. They said, 'On condition can a mortal being be made immortal.
Thy son's life, however, shall depend on some instrumental cause.'
Thereupon, Valadhi said, 'O chiefs of the celestials, these mountains
have been existing eternally, and indestructible, let them be the
instrumental cause of my son's life.' Afterwards a son was born to the
sage, named Medhavi. And he was of a very irritable temper. And
hearing of (the incident of his birth), he grew haughty, and began to
insult the sages. And he ranged over the earth, doing mischief to the
munis. And one day, meeting with the learned sage Dhannushaksha
endued with energy, Medhavi maltreated him. Thereupon, the former
cursed him, saying, 'Be thou reduced to ashes.' Medhavi, however, was
not reduced to ashes. Then Dhannushaksha caused the mountain which
was the instrumental cause of Medhavi's life, to be shattered by buffa-
loes. And the boy perished, with the destruction of the instrumental
cause of his life. And embracing his dead son, Medhavi's father began to
bewail his fate. Now hear from me, O my son, what was chanted by
the sages conversant with the Vedas, when they found the sage
mourning. A mortal on no condition whatever can overcome what hath been
ordained by Fate, Lo I Dhannushaksha succeeded in shattering even the
VANA PAKVA 293
mountain by buffaloes. Thus young ascetics, puffed up with pride for
having obtained boons, perish in a short time. Be thou not one of
them. This Raivya, O my son, is possessed of great energy, and his two
sons are like him. Therefore, be thou vigilant — so as never to approach
him. O my son, Raivya is a great ascetic of an irritable temper. When
angry, he can do thee harm. Yavakri said, 'I shall do as thou biddest
me. O father, do thou not by any means entertain anxiety for that.
Raivya deserveth my regard even as thou, my father.' Having replied
unto his father in these sweet words, Yavakri, fearing nothing and no-
body, began to delight in wantonly offending other munis"
SECTION CXXXVI
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Lomasa said, 'One day in the month of Chaitra, while fearlessly
wandering at large, Yavakri approached the hermitage of Raivya. And
O son of Bharata, in that beautiful hermitage, adorned with trees bear-
ing blossoms, he happened to behold the daughter-in-law of Raivya,
sauntering about like a Kinnara woman. And hav ing lost his senses
through passion, Yavakri shamelessly spake unto the bashful maiden,
saying, 'Be thou attached unto me.' Thereupon, knowing his nature, and
afraid of a curse, as well as thinking of Raivya's power, she went unto
him saying, 'I agree.' Then, O son of Bharata, taking him in priv ate,
she kept him chained. O conqueror of foes, returning to his hermitage,
Raivya found his daughter-in-law, Paravasu's wife, in tears. O Yudhish-
thira, thereat consoling her with soft words, he enquired of her as to
the cause of her grief. Thereupon, the beautiful damsel told him all
that Yavakri had said unto her, and what she also had cleverly said unto
him. Hearing of this gross misbehaviour of Yavakri, the mind of the
sage flamed up, and he waxed exceedingly wroth. And being thus seized
with passion, the great sage of a highly irascible temper, tore off a matted
lock of his hair, and with holy mantras offered it as a sacrifice on the
sacred fire. At this, there sprang out of it a female exactly resembling
his daughter-in-law. And then he plucked another matted lock of his
hair, and again offered it as a sacrifice into the fire. Thereupon sprang out
of it a demon, terrible to behold, and having fierce eyes. Then those two
spake unto Raivya, saying, 'What shall we do ?' Thereat, the angry
sage said unto them, 'Go and kill Yavakri.' Then saying, 'We shall do
(as thou biddest)'— they two went away with the intention of slaying
Yavakri. And with her charms, the female whom the large-hearted
sage had created, robbed Yavakri of his sacred water-pot. Then with
his uplifted spear the demon flew at Yavakri, when he had been depriv-
ed of his water-pot and rendered unclean. And seeing the demon
294 MAHABHAEATA
approach with uplifted spear for the purpose of slaying him, Yavakri
rose up all on a sudden and fled towards a tank. But finding it devoid
of water, he hurried towards all the rivers. But they too were all dried
up. And being obstructed again and again by the fierce demon, holding
the spear, Yavakri in fright attempted to enter into the Agnilwira room
of his father. But there, O king, he was repulsed by a blind Sudra
warder, and he remained at the door, grasped by the man. And, finding
Yavakri thus grasped by the Sudra, the demon hurled his spear at him,
and thereupon he fell down dead, pierced in the heart. After slaying
Yavakri, the demon went back to Raivya, and with the permission of
that sage, began to live with the female."
SECTION CXXXVII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Lomasa said, 'O son of Kunti, Bharadwaja returned to his hermi-
tage after performing the ritual duties of the day, and having collected
the sacrificial fuel. And because his son had been slain, the sacrificial
fires which used to welcome him everyday, did not on that day come
forward to welcome him. And marking this change in the Agniliotra,
the great sage asked the blind Sudra warder seated there, saying, 'Why
is it, O Sudra, that the fires rejoice not at sight of me ? Thou too dost
not rejoice as is thy wont. Is it all well with my hermitage ? I hope that
my son of little sense had not gone to the sage Raivya. Answer speedily,
0 Sudra, all these questions of mine. My mind misgiveth me.' The
Sudra said, 'Thy son of little sense had gone to the sage Raivya, and
therefore it is that he lieth prostrate (on the ground), having been slain
by a powerful demon. Being attacked by the Rakshasa, holding a spear,
he attempted to force his way into this room, and I therefore barred
his way with my arms. Then desirous of hav ing water in an unclean
state, as he stood hopeless, he was slain by the vehement Rakshasa,
carrying a spear in his hand.' On hearing from the Sudra of this great
calamity, Bharadwaja, sorely afflicted with grief, began to lament,
embracing his dead son. And he said, 'O my son, it is for the good of
the Brahmanas that thou didst practise penances, with the intention
that the Vedas unstudied by any Brahmana whatever might be manifest
unto thee. Thy behaviour towards the Brahmanas had always been for
their good, and thou hadst also been innocent in regard to all creatures.
But, alas ! (at last) thou didst lapse into rudeness. I had prohibited
thee, O my son, from visiting the residence of Raivya ; but alas ! to
that very hermitage, (destructive to thee) as the god of death himself,
Yama, didst thou repair. Evil-minded is that man, who, knowing that
1 am an old man, and also that (Yavakri) was my only son, had given
VANA PAEVA 295
way to wrath. It is through the agency of Raivya that I have sustained
the loss of my child. Without thee, O my son, I shall give up my life,
the most precious thing in the world. In grief for the death of my son,
I renounce my life; but this I say that Raivy as eldest son shall in a
short time kill him although he be innocent. Blessed are those to whom
children have never been born, for they lead a happy life, without
having to experience the grief (incident to the death of a child). Who
in this world can be more wicked than those who from affliction, and
doprived of their sense by sorrow consequent upon the death of a child,
curse even their dearest friends ! I found my son dead, and, therefore,
have cursed my dearest friend. Ah ! what second man can there be in
this world, destined to suffer so grievous a misfortune!' Having
lamented long Bharadwaja cremated his son and then himself entered
into a full-blazing fire.' "
SECTION CXXXVIII
(Tirtha-yalra Parva continued)
"Lomasa said, 'At that very time, the mighty king, Vrihadyumna,
of high fortune, who was the Yajamana of Raivya, commenced a sacri-
fice. And the two sons of Raivya, Arvavasuand Paravasu, were engag-
ed by that intelligent monarch, to assist him in the performance of the
ceremony. And, O son of Kunti, taking the permission of their father,
they two went to the sacrifice, while Raivya with Paravasu's wife'
remained in the hermitage. And it came to pass that one day, desirous
of seeing his wife, Paravasu returned home alone. And he met his
father in the wood, wrapped in the skin of a black antelope. And the
night was far advanced and dark ; and Paravasu, blinded by drowsiness
in that deep wood, mistook his father for a straggling deer. And mis-
taking him for a deer, Paravasu, for the sake of personal safety, uninten-
tionally killed his father. Then, O son of Bharata, after performing the
funeral rites (of his father), he returned to the sacrifice and there ad-
dressed his brother saying, Thou wilt never be able to perform this task
unassisted. I again, have killed our father, mistaking him for a deer.
O brother, for me do thou observe a vow, prescribed in the case of
killing a Brahmana. O Muni, I shall be able to perform this work
(sacrifice), without any assistant.' Arvavasu said, 'Do thou then thyself
officiate at this sacrifice of the gifted Vrihadyumna ; and for thee will
I, bringing my senses udner perfect control, observe the vowprescribed
in the case of slaying a Brahmana.'
"Lomasa said, 'Having observed the vow relative to the killing of
a Brahmana, the sage Arvavasu came back to the sacrifice. Seeing his
brother arrive, Paravasu, in accents choked with malice, addressed
296 MAHABHAEATA
Vrihadyumna, saying, 'O king, see that this slayer of a Brahmana enter
not into thy sacrifice, nor look at it. Even by a glance, the killer of a
Brahmana can, without doubt, do thee harm.' O lord of men, imme-
diately on hearing this, the king ordered his attendants (to turn out
Arvavasu). O king, on being driven out by the king's attendants, and
repeatedly addressed by them — '0 slayer of a Bralimana — Arvavasu more
than once cried, It is not I that have killed a Brahmana. Not did he
own that he had observed the vow for his own sake. He said that his
brother had committed the sin, and that he had freed him therefrom.1
Having said this in anger, and being reprimanded by the attendants, the
Brahmana sage of austere penances, retired in silence into the woods.
There betaking himself to the severest penances, the great Brahmana
sought the protection of the Sun. Thereupon, the revelation teaching
the mantra relative to the worship of the Sun, became manifest unto
him and that eternal deity who obtaineth his share (of the sacrificial
butter) first, appeared before him in an embodied form.'
"Lomasa said, 'The celestials, O king, were well pleased with
Arvavasu for his acts. And they made him engaged as the chief priest
in the sacrifice (of Vrihadyumna), and Paravasu to be dismissed from
it. Then Agni and the other celestials (of their own accord) bestowed
boons on Arvavasu. And they also prayed that his father might be
restored to life. He further prayed that his brother might be absolved
from his sin ; that his father might have no recollection of his having
been slain ; that Bharadwaja and Yavakri might both be restored to
life ; and that the solar revelation might attain celebrity (on earth).
Then the god said, 'So be it? and conferred on him other boons also.
Thereat, O Yudhishthira, all of these persons regained their life.
Yavakri now addressed Agni and the other deities, saying, 'I had
obtained a knowledge of all the Vedas, and also practised penances.
How came it then, O chiefs of the immortals, that Raivya succeeded
in killing me in that way ?' Thereupon the gods said, 4O Yavakri,
never act again as those have done. What thou askest about is quite
possible, for thou hast learnt the Vedas without exertion, and without
the help of a preceptor. But this man (Raivya) bearing various troubles,
had satisfied his preceptor by his conduct, and obtained (from the
latter) the excellent Vedas through great exertions and in a long time.1
"Lomasa said, 'Having said this to Yavakri, and restored all those
to life, the celestials with Indra at their head, ascended to heaven. Here,
O Yudhishthira, is the sacred hermitage of that sage embellished with
trees bearing blossoms and fruits at all seasons. O tiger among kings,
dwelling at this spot, thou wilt be delivered from all thy sins.1 "
SECTION CXXXIX
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Lomasa said, 'O descendant of Bharata, O king, now hast thou
left behind the mountains Usiravija, Mainaka and Sweta, as well as the
Kala hills, O son of Kunti, O bull among the descendants of Bharata,
here flow before thee the seven Gangas. This spot is pure and holy.
Here Agni blazeth forth without intermission. No son of Manu is able to
obtain a sight of this wonder. Therefore, O son of Pandu, concentrate
your mind in order that he may intently behold these tirthas. Now
wilt thou see the play-ground of the gods, marked with their footprints,
as we have passed the mountain Kala. We shall now ascend that
white rock — the mountain Mandara, inhabited by the Yakshas,
Manibhadra and Kuvera, king of the Yakshas. O king, at this place
eighty thousand fleet Gandharvas, and four times as many Kimpurushas
and Yakshas of various shapes and forms, holding various weapons,
attend upon Manibhadra, king of the Yakshas. In these regions their
power is very great. And in speed they are even as the wind. They can,
without doubt, displace even the lord of the celestials from his seat.
Protected by them, and also watched over by the Rakshasas, these
mountains have been rendered inaccessible. Therefore, O son of Pritha,
do thou concentrate thy thoughts. Besides these, O son of Kunti, here
are fierce ministers of Kuvera and hisRakshasa kindred. We shall have
to meet them, and, therefore, O Kunti's son, gather up thy energies.
O king, the mountain Kailasa is six yojanas in height. It contains a
gigantic jujube tree. And, O son of Kunti, numberless gods and
Yakshas and Rakshasas and Kinnaras and Nagas and Suparnas and
Gandharvas pass this way, in going towards Kuv era's palace. O king,
protected by me, as well as by the might of Bhimasena, and also in
virtue of thy own asceticism and self-command, do thou to-day mix
with them. May king Varuna and Yama, conqueror of battles, and
Ganga, and Yamuna, and this mountain, and the Maruts and the twin
Aswins, and all rivers and lakes, vouchsafe thy safety. And, O efful-
gent one, mayst thou have safety from all the celestials and the Asuras,
and the Vasus. O Goddess Ganga, I hear thy roar from this golden
mountain, sacred to Indra. O Goddess of high fortune, in these
mountainous regions, protect the king, worshipped by all of the
Ajamidha race. O daughter of the mountain (Himalaya), this king is
about to enter into these mountainous regions. Do thou, therefore,
confer protection upon him.'
"Having thus addressed the river, Lomasa bade Yudhishthira,
saying, 'Be thou careful.' "
"Yudhishthira said, This confusion of Lomasa is unprecedented
7
298 iiASABMARATA
Therefore, protect ye Krishna, and be not careless. Lomasa knows
this place to be certainly difficult of access. Therefore, do ye practise
here the utmost cleanliness.' "
"Vaisampayana said, "He next addressed his brother Bhima of
vast prowess, saying, 1O Bhiraasena, do thou protect Krishna carefully.
Whether Arjuna be near or away, Krishna in times of danger ever
seeketh protection from the 2 alone.' '
"Then the high-souled monarch approached the twins, Nakula
and Sahadeva, and after smelling their heads, and rubbing their persons,
with tears said unto them, 'Do not fear. Proceed, however, with
caution/ "
SECTION CXL
(Tirtha-yatra Paroa continued)
"Yudhishthira said, 'O Vrikodara, there are mighty and powerful
invisible spirits at this place. We shall, however, pass it, through the
merit of our asceticism and Agniliotra sacrifices. O son of Kunti, do
thou therefore, restrain thy hunger and thirst by collecting thy ener-
gies, and also, O Vrikodara, have recourse to thy strength and clever-
ness. O Kunti's son, thou hast heard what the sage (Lomasa) had said
regarding mount Kailasa. Ascertain, therefore, after deliberation,
how Krishna will pass the spot. Or, O mighty Bhima of large eyes, do
return from hence, taking with thee Sahadeva, and all our charioteers,
cooks, servants, cars, horses, and Brahmanas worn out with travel,
while I together with Nakula and the sage Lomasa of severe austerities
proceed, subsisting on the lightest fare and observing vows. Do thou
in expectation of my return, cautiously wait at the source of the
Ganga, protecting Draupadi till I come back.'
"Bhima replied, 4O descendant of Bharata, although this blessed
princess hath been sore afflicted by toil and distress, yet she easily pro-
ceedeth, in the hope of beholding him of the white steeds (Arjuna).
Thy dejection also is already very great at not seeing the high-souled
Arjuna, who never retreateth from fight. O Bharata, it is superfluous
then to say that if thou seest neither myself nor Sahadeva nor Krishna,
thy dejection will certainly increase. The Brahmanas had better
return with our servants, charioteers, cooks and whomsoever else thou
mayst command. I never shall leave thee in these rugged and in-
accessible mountainous regions, infested by Rakshasas. And, O tiger
among men, also this princess of high fortune, ever devoted to her
lords, desireth not to return without thee. Sahadeva is always devo-
ted to thee : he too will never retrace his steps. His disposition is known
to me. O king, O mighty monarch, we are all eager to behold Savya-
VAN A PARVA 299
sachin, and therefore, will we all go together. If we are unable to go
over this mountain in our cars, abounding as it doth in defiles, well, we
would go on foot. Trouble thyself not, O king, I shall carry Panchala's
daughter wherever she will be incapable of walking. O king, I have
decided upon this. Therefore let not thy mind be distracted. I shall
also carry over inaccessible tracts those tender-bodied heroes, the twins,
the delight of their mother, wherever they will be incapable of
proceeding.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'May thy strength increase, O Bhima, as thou
speakest thus, and as thou boldly undertakest to carry the illustrious
Panchali and these twins. Blessed be thou ! Such courage dwelleth not
in any other individual. May thy strength, fame, merit, and reputa-
tion increase ! O long-armed one, as thou offerest to carry Krishna
and our brothers the twins, exhaustion and defeat never be thine f
Vaisampayana said, "Then the charming Krishna said with a
smile, 'O descendant of Bharata, I shall be able to go, and, therefore,
be thou not anxious on my account.'
"Lomasa said, 'Access to the mountain, Gandhamadana, is only
to be obtained by dint of asceticism. Therefore, O son of Kunti,
shall we all practise austerities, O king, Nakula, Sahadeva, Bhimasena,
thou and myself, shall then see him of the white steeds, O Kunti's
son.' "
Vaisampayana said, "O king, thus conversing together, they saw
with -delight the extensive domains of Suvahu, situated on the Hima-
layas abounding in horses and elephants, densely inhabited by the Kiratas
and the Tanganas, crowded by hundreds of Pulindas, frequented by the
celestials, and rife with wonders. King Suvahu, the lord of the Pulin-
das, cheerfully received them at the frontiers of his dominions, pay-
ing them proper respect. Having been thus received with honour, and
having dwelt comfortably at this place, they started for the mountain
Himalaya, when the sun shone brightly in the firmament. And, O
king, having entrusted to the care of the lord of the Pulindas, all their
servants — Indrasena and the others,— and the cooks and the stewards,
and Draupadi's accoutrements, and every thing else, those mighty
charioteers, the son of the Kur us, endued with great prowess, set out
from that country, and began to proceed cautiously with Krishna,— all
of them cheerful in the expectation of beholding Arjuna."
"Yudhishthira said, 1O Bhimasena, O Panchali, and ye twins,
hearken unto my words. The acts done ( by a person ) in a former
birth do not perish, (without producing their effects). Behold ! Even
we have become rangers of the wilderness. Even to see Dhananjaya,
exhausted and distressed as we are, we have to bear each other, and
pass through impassable places, This burneth me even as fire doth
300 MAHABHABATA
a heap of cotton. O hero, I do not see Dhananjaya at my side. I
reside in the wood with my younger brothers, anxious for beholding
him. This thought, as also the memory of that grav e insult offered to
Yajnaseni, consumes me. O Vrikodara, I do not see the invincible Partha
of strong bow and imcomparable energy, and who is the immediate
elder to Nakula. For this, O Vrikodara, I am miserable. In order to
see that hero, Dhananjaya, firm in promise, for these five years have I
been wandering in various tirthas, and beautiful forests and lakes
and yet I do not meet with him. For this, O Vrikodara, I am miserable.
I do not see the long-armed Gudakesa, of dark blue hue, and leonine
gait. For this, O Vrikodara, I am miserable. I do not see that fore-
most of Kurus, accomplished in arms, skilful in fight, and matchless
among bowmen. For this, O Vrikodara, I am miserable. Distressed
for I am I do not see that son of Pritha, Dhananjaya, born under the
influence of the star Phalguni ; ranging amidst foes even like Yama
at the time of the universal dissolution ; possessed of the prowess of
an elephant with the temporal juice trickling down ; endued with
leonine shoulders ; not inferior to Sakra himself in prowess and energy ;
elder in years to the twins ; of white steeds ; unrivalled in heroism ;
in v incible ; and wielding a strong bow. For this, O Vrikodara, I am
miserable. And he is always of a forgiving temper, — even when
insulted by the meanest individual. And he confer reth benefit and
protection to the righteous ; but to that tortuous person who by craft
attempts to do him mischief, Dhananjaya is like unto virulent poison,
albeit that one were Sakra himself. And the mighty Vibhatsu of im-
measurable soul and possessing great strength, showeth mercy and exten-
deth protection even to a foe when fallen. And he is the refuge of us
all, and he crusheth his foes in fight. And he hath the power to collect
any treasure whatever, and he minister eth unto our happiness. It was
through his prowess that I had owned formerly measureless precious
jewels of various kinds which at present Suyodhana hath usurped. It was
by his might, O hero, that I had possessed before that palatial amphi-
theatre embellished with all manner of jewels, and celebrated through-
out the three worlds. O Pandu's son, in prowess, Phalguni is like unto
Vasudeva, and in fight he is invincible and unrivalled, even like unto
Kartavirya. Alas! I see him not, O Bhima. In might, that con-
queror of foes goeth in the wake of the invincible and most powerful
Sankarshana (Valarama) and Vasudeva. In strength of arms, and
spirit, he is like unto Purandara himself. And in swiftness, he is even
as the wind, and in grace, as the moon, and in ire, he is the eternal
Death himself. O mighty-armed one, with the object of beholding
that war-like tiger among men, shall we repair to the Gandhamadana
mountain, where lies du hermitage of Nara and Narayana at the site of
VANA PABVA 301
the celebrated jujube tree, and which is inhabited by the Yakshas. We
shall see that best of mountains. And, practising severe austerities
only on foot we shall go to Kuv era's beautiful lake guarded by
Rakshasas. That place cannot be reached by vehicles, O Vrikodara.
Neither can cruel, or avaricious, or irascible people attain to that spot,
O Bharata's son. O Bhima, in order to see Arjuna, thither shall we
repair, in company with Brahmanas of strict vows, girding on our
swords, and wielding our bows. Those only that are impure, meet with
flies, gad-flies, mosquitoes, tigers, lions, and reptiles, but the pure
never come across them. Therefore, regulating our fare, and restrain-
ing our senses, we shall go to the Gandhamadana, desirous of seeing
Dhananjaya.' "
SECTION CXLI
(TirtliCL-yatra Parva continued)
"Lomasa said, 4O sons of Pandu, ye hav e seen many a mountain,
and river and town and forest and beautiful tirtha ; and have touched
with your hands the sacred waters. Now this way leads to the celestial
mountain Mandara ; therefore be ye attentive and composed. Ye
will now repair to the residence of the celestials and the divine sages
of meritorious deeds. Here, O kin*, flows the mighty and beautiful river
(Alakananda) of holy water adored by hosts of celestials and sages, and
tracing its source to (the site of) the jujube tree. It is frequented and
worshipped by high-souled Vaihayasas, Valakhilyas and Gandharvasof
mighty souls. Accustomed to sing the Sama hymns, the sages, Marichi,
Pulaha, Bhrigu and Angiras, chanted them at this spot. Here the lord
of celestials performeth with the Maruts his daily prayers. And the
Sadhyas and the Aswins attend on him. The sun, the moon and all
the luminaries with the planets resort to this river, alternately by day
and by night. O highly fortunate monarch, that protector of the world ;
Mahadeva, having a bull for his mark, received on his head the fall of
the waters of this river, at the source of the Ganga. O children,
approach this goddess of the six attributes and bow down before her
with concentrated minds.'
"Hearing the words of the high-souled Lomasa, the son of Pandu
reverentially worshipped the river (Ganga), flowing through the firma-
ment. And after having adored her the pious sons of Pandu resumed
their journey accompanied by the sages. And it came to pass that
those best of men beheld at a distance some white object of vast propor-
tions, even like Meru and stretching on all sides. And knowing that
Pandu's sons were intent upon asking (him), Lomasa versed in speech
said, 'Hear, O sons of Pandu ! O best of men, what ye see before you,
302 MAHABHABATA
of vast proportions like unto a mountain and beautiful as the Kailasa
cliff, is a collection of the bones of the mighty Daitya, Naraka. Being
placed on a mountain, it looketh like one. The Daitya was slain by
that Supreme Soul, the eternal God Vishnu, for the good of the lord
of celestials. Aiming at the possession of Indra' s place* by the force of
austere and Vedic lore, that mighty-minded (demon) had practised
austere penances for ten thousand years. And on account of his asceti-
cism, as also of the force and might of his arms he had grown invinci-
ble and always harassed (Indra). And O sinless one, knowing his
strength and austerities and observance of religious vows, Indra
became agitated and was overwhelmed with fear. And mentally he
thought of the eternal deity, Vishnu. And thereat the graceful lord of
the universe, who is present everywhere, appeared and stood before
him manifest. And the sages and celestials began to propitiate Vishnu
with prayers. And in his presence even Agni of the six attributes and
of blazing beauty being overpowered by his effulgence, became shorn of
radiance and seeing before him the God Vishnu, the chief of the celes-
tials who wields the thunder- bolt, bowing with head down readily
apprised Vishnu of the source of his fear. Thereupon Vishnu said, 1
know, O Sakra, that thy fear proceedeth from Naraka, that lord of the
Daityas. By the merit of his successful ascetic acts he aimeth at
Indra's position. Therefore, for pleasing thee, I shall certainly sever
his soul from his body, although he hath achieved success in asceticism.
Do thou, lord of celestials, wait for a moment.' Then the exceedingly
powerful Vishnu deprived (Naraka) of his senses (by striking him)
with his hand. And he fell down on the earth even like the monarch
of mountains struck by (thunder). He was thus slain by a miracle and
his bones lie gathered at this spot. Here also is manifest another deed
of Vishnu's. Once the whole earth having been lost and sunk into the
nether regions she was lifted up by him in the shape of a boar having a
single tusk.1
"Yudhishthira said, 'O worshipful one, relate in particular how
Vishnu, the lord of the celestials, raised up the earth sunk a hundred
yojanas ? In what manner also was that support of all created things —
the goddess Earth of high fortune — who dispenseth blessings and brin-
geth forth all sorts of corn rendered stable ? Through whose power had
she sunk an hundred ynjanas below, and under what circumstances was
exhibited this greatest exploit of the Supreme Being ? O chief of the
twice- born race, I wish to hear all about it in detail as it happened.
Certainly, it is known to thee.'
"Lomasa said, 'O Yudhishthira, listen to all at length as I relate
the story, which thou hast asked me (to narrate). O child, in days of yore,
there was (once) a terrible time, mthe Krita Yuga when the eternal and
VANA PARVA 303
primeval Deity assumed the duties of Yama. And, O thou that never
fallest off, when the God of gods began to perform the functions of Yama,
there died not a creature while the births were as usual. Then there
began to multiply birds and beasts and kine, and sheep, and deer and all
kinds of carnivorous animals. O tiger among men and vanquisher of
foes, then the human race also increased by thousands even like unto
a current of water. And, O my son, when the increase of population had
been so frightful, the Earth oppressed with the excessive burden, sank
down for a hundred yojanas. And suffering pain in all her limbs, and
being deprived of her senses by excessive pressure, the earth in distress
sought the protection of Narayana, the foremost of the gods. The
earth spake saying, It is by thy favour, O possessor of the six attributes,
that I had been able to remain so long in my position. But I have
been overcome with burden and now I cannot hold myself any longer.
It behoveth thee, O adorable one, to relieve this load of mine. I have
sought thy protection. O lord ; and do thou, therefore, extend unto me
thy favour.' Hearing these words of hers, the eternal lord, possessor of
the six attributes, complaisantly said, in words uttered in distinct letters.
Vishnu said, Thou need not fear, O afflicted Earth, the bearer of all
treasures. I shall act so that thou mayst be made light.'
"Lomasa said, 'Having thus dismissed the Earth, who hath the
mountains.for her ear-rings, he suddenly became turned into a boar with
one tusk, and of exceeding effulgence. Causing terror with his glow-
ing red eyes and emitting fumes from his blazing lustre, he began to
swell in magnitude in that region. O hero, then holding the earth with
his single radiant tusk that being who pervadeth the Vedas, raised her
up a hundred yojanas. And while she was being thus raised, there
ensued a mighty agitation and all the celestials, together with the sages
of ascetic wealth became agitated. And heaven, and the firmament, and
also the Earth were filled with exclamations of Oh I and Alas \ and
neither the celestials nor men could rest in peace. Then countless celes-
tials together with the sages went to Brahma, who was seated burning
as it were in his (own) lustre. Then approaching Brahma, the lord of
celestials, and the witness of the acts of all beings, they with folded
hands spake the following words, 'O lord of the celestials, all created
beings have become agitated and the mobile and immobile creatures
are restless, O, lord of the celestials, even the oceans are found to
be agitated and this whole earth hath gone down a hundred yojanas.
What is the matter ? And by whose influence is it that the whole uni-
verse is in ferment ? May it please thee to explain it unto us without
delay, for we are all bewildered.' Thereupon Brahma replied, 'Ye
immortals ! do ye not entertain fear for the Asuras, in any matter or
place. Hearken, ye celestials, to the reason to which all this commotion
304 MAHABHABATA
is owing ! This agitation in the heavens hath been produced by the
influence of the illustrious Being who is omnipresent, eternal and the
never-perishing Soul. That Supreme soul, Vishnu hath lifted up the
Earth, who had entirely sunk down hundred yojanas. This commotion
hath taken place in consequence of the earth being raised up. Know ye
this and dispel your doubts.' The celestials said, 'Where is that Being
who with pleasure raiseth up the Earth ? O possessor of the six attri-
butes, mention unto us the place. Thither shall we repair/ Brahma
said, 'Go ye. May good happen to you ! Ye will find him resting in the
Nandana (gardens). Yonder is visible the glorious worshipful Suparna
(Garuda). After having raised the Earth, the Supreme Being from
whom the worlds become manifest, flameth even in the shape of a boar,
like unto the all-consuming fire at the universal dissolution. And on
his breast is really to be seen the gem Srivatsa. (Go) and behold that
Being knowing no deterioration.'
"Lomasa said, Then the celestials, placing the grandsire at their
head, came to that infinite Soul, and having listened to his praise, bade
him adieu and went back to whence they had come.' "
Vaisampayana said, "O Janamejaya, having heard this story, all
the Pandavas without delay and with alacrity, began to proceed by the
way pointed out by Lomasa."
SECTION CXLII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "O king, then those foremost of bowmen, of
immeasurable prowess, holding bows stringed at full stretch and equipped
with quivers and arrows and wearing finger-caps made of the
guana-skin, and with their swords on, proceeded with Panchali towards
the Gandhamadana, taking with them the best of Brahmanas. And on
their way they saw various lakes, and rivers and mountains and forests,
and trees of wide-spreading shade on mountain summits and places
abounding in trees bearing flowers and fruit in all seasons and frequent-
ed by celestials and sages. And restraining their senses within their
inner self and subsisting on fruits and roots, the heroes passed through
rugged regions, craggy and difficult of passage, beholding many and
various kinds of beasts. Thus those high-souled ones entered the moun-
tain inhabited by the sages, the Siddhas and the celestials, and fre-
quented by the Kinnaras and the Apsaras. And, O lord of men, as
those mighty heroes were entering the mountain Gandhamadana, there
arose a violent wind, attended with a heavy shower. And owing
to this, mighty clouds of dust bearing lots of dry leaves, rose, and all
on a sudden covered earth, air and firmament. And when the heavens
VANA PAEVA 305
had been covered with dust nothing could be perceived, neither could
they (the Panda v as) speak to one another. And with eyes enveloped
with darkness and pushed by the wind carrying particles of rocks they
could not see one another. And there began to arrive mighty sounds
proceeding from the tree, and also from those breaking down incessant-
ly under the force of the wind, and falling to the ground. And
distracted by gusts of the wind, they thought, 'Are the heavens
falling down ; or the earth and the mountains being rent ?' And
afraid of the wind, they felt about with their hands and took shelter
under the way-side tree and ant-hills and in caverns. Then holding
his bow and supporting Krishna the mighty Bhimasena stood under
a tree. And Yudhishthira the just with Dhaumya crept into the deep
wood. And Sahedeva carrying the sacred fire with him took shelter in
a rock. And Nakula together with Lomasa and other Brahmanas of
great asceticism stood in fright, each under a tree. Then when the
wind had abated and the dust subsided, there came down a shower in
torrents. There also arose a loud rattling noise, like unto the thunder
hurled ; and quick-flashing lightning began to play gracefully upon the
clouds. And being helped on by the swift wind, showers of rain pour-
ed down without intermissions, filling all sides round. And, O lord of
men, all around there began to flow many rivers covered with foam
and turbid with mud ; and these bearing volumes of water spread over
the frothy rafts rushed down with tremendous roar uprooting trees.
And afterwards when that sound had ceased and the air had arisen they
(each of them) cautiously came out of their coverts and met together,
O descendant of Bharata. And then the heroes started for the moun-
tain Gandhamadana."
SECTION CXLIII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "When the high-souled sons of Pandu had
proceeded only two miles, Draupadi unaccustomed to travel on foot,
sank down. Weary and afflicted as she was, the poor daughter of
Panchala became faint, on account of the hailstorm and also of her
extreme delicacy. And trembling with faintness, the black-eyed one
supported herself on her thighs with her plump arms, becoming (her
graceful form). And thus resting for support on her thighs resembling
the trunk of an elephant, and which were in contact with each other,
she suddenly dropped upon the ground, trembling like a plantain tree.
And finding that the beautiful one was falling down like a twisted cree-
per, Nakula ran forward and supported her. And he said, *O king,
this black-eyed daughter of Panchala, being weary, hath fallen down
8
306 MAHABHARATA
upon the ground. Do thou, therefore, tend her, O son of Bharata.
Undeserving as she is of misery, this lady of slow pace hath been sub-
ject to great hardships, and she is also worn out with the fatigues of the
journey. O mighty king, do thou therefore, comfort her.' '
Vaisampayana said, "Having heard these words of Nakula, the
king as also Bhima and Sahadeva, became sorely afflicted, and hastily
ran towards her. And finding her weak, and her countenance pale, the
pious son of Kunti began to lament in grief, taking her on his lap.
Yudhishthira said, 'Accustomed to ease, and deserving to sleep in well-
protected rooms, on beds spread over with fine sheets, how doth this
beautiful one sleep prostrate on the ground ! Alas ! On my account
(alone), the delicate feet and the lotus-like face of this one deserv ing
of all excellent things, have contracted a dark- blue hue. O what have
I done ! Fool that I am, hav ing been addicted to dice, I ha v e been
wandering in the forest full of wild beasts, taking Krishna in my com-
pany. This large-eyed one had been bestowed by her father, the king
of the Drupadas, in the hope that the blessed girl would be happy, by
obtaining the sons of Pandu for her lords. It is on account of my
wretched self, that without obtaining anything hoped for, she sleepeth
prostrate on the ground, tired with hardships, sorrow and travel !' "
Vaisampayana said, "While king Yudhishthira the just was lament-
ing thus, Dhaumya with all the other principal Brahmanas came to the
spot. And they began to console him and to honour him with blessings.
And they recited mantras capable of dispelling Rakshasas and (to that
end) also performed rites. And on the mantras being recited by the
great ascetics, in order to the restoration of (Panchali's) health, Panchali
frequently touched by the Panda v as with their soothing palms and
fanned by cool breezes surcharged with particles of water, felt ease, and
gradually regained her senses. And finding that exhausted poor lady
restored to her senses, the sons of Pritha, placing her on deer- skin,
caused her to take rest. And taking her feet of red soles, bearing aus-
picious marks, the twins began to press them gently with their hands,
scarred by the bow-string. And Yudhishthira the just, the foremost of
the Kurus, also comforted her and addressed Bhima in the following
words : 'O Bhima, there yet remain many mountains ( before us ),
rugged, and inaccessible because of snow. How, long-armed one, will
Krishna pass over them ?' Thereupon Bhima said, 'O king, I myself shall
carry thee, together with this princess and these bulls among men, the
twins ; therefore, O king of kings, resign not thy mind unto despair.
Or, at thy bidding, O sinless one, Hidimva's son, the mighty Ghatot-
kacha, who is capable of ranging the skies and who is like unto me in
strength, will carry us all/ "
Vaisampayana said, "Then with Yudhishthira's permission, Bhima
VANA PAKVA so?
thought of his Rakshasa son. And no sooner was he thought of by his
father, than the pious Ghatotkacha made his appearance and, saluting
the Pandavas and the Brahmanas, stood with joined hands. And they
also caressed him of mighty arms. He then addressed his father, Bhima-
sena of dreadful prowess, saying, 'Having been thought of by thee I
have come here with speed, in order to serve thee. Do thou, O long-
armed one, command me. I shall certainly be able to perform what-,
ever thou bidst.' Hearing this, Bhimasena hugged the Rakshasa to his
breast."
SECTION CXLIV
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Yudhishthira said, 1O Bhima, let this mighty and heroic Rakshasa
chief, thy legitimate son, devoted to us, and truthful, and conversant
with virtue carry (his) mother (Draupadi) without delay. And, O
possessor of dreadful prowess, depending on the strength of thy arms, I
shall reach the Gandhamadana, unhurt, together with Panchala's
daughter.' "
Vaisampayana said, "Hearing the words of his brother, that tiger
among men, Bhimasena, commanded his son, Ghatotkacha, represser of
foes, saying, 'O invincible son of Hidimva, this thy mother hath been
sorely tired. Thou art, again, strong and capable of going wherever thou
likest. Do thou therefore, O ranger of the skies, carry her. May pros-
perity attend thee ! Taking her on thy shoulders, thou shalt go in our
company, adopting a course not far overhead, — so that thou mayst not
render her uneasy.' Thereat, Ghatotkacha said, 'Even single-handed,
I am able to carry Yudhishthira the just, and Dhaumya, and Krishna, and
the twins, — and what wonder then that I shall to-day carry them, when
I have others to assist me? And, O sinless one, hundreds of other heroic
(Rakshasas), capable of moving through the sky, and of assuming any
shape at will, will together carry you all with the Brahmanas.' "
Vaisampayana said, "Saying this, Ghatotkacha carried Krishna
in the midst of the Pandavas, and the other (Rakshasas) also began to
carry the Pandavas. And by virtue of his native energy, Lomasa of
incomparable effulgence moved along the path of the Siddhas, like unto
a second sun. And at the command of the lord of the Rakshasas, those
Rakshasas of terrific prowess began to proceed, bearing all the other
Brahmanas, and beholding many a romantic wood. And they proceeded
towards the gigantic jujube tree. And carried by the Rakshasas of
great speed, proceeding at a rapid pace, the heroes passed over long-
extending ways quickly, as if over short ones. And on their way they
saw various tracts crowded with Mlechchha people, and containing mines
308 MAHABHAEATA
of diverse gems. And they also saw hillocks teeming with various
minerals, thronged with Vidyadharas, inhabited on all sides by monkeys
and Kinnaras and Kimpurushas, and Gandharvas, and filled with pea-
cocks, and chamaras, and apes, and rurus, and bears, and gavayas, and
buffaloes, intersected with a network of rivulets, and inhabited by vari-
ous birds and beasts, and beautified by elephants, and abounding in
trees and enraptured birds. After hav ing thus passed many countries,
and also the Uttarakurus, they saw that foremost of mountains, the
Kailasa, containing many wonders. And by the side of it, they beheld
the hermitage of Nara and Narayana, with celestial trees bearing
flowers and fruits in all seasons. And they also beheld that beautiful
jujube of round trunk. And it was fresh ; and of deep shade ; and of
excellent beauty ; and of thick, soft and sleek foliage ; and healthful ;
and having gigantic boughs ; and wide-spreading ; and of incomparable
lustre ; and bearing full-grown, tasteful, and holy fruits dropping honey.
And this celestial tree was frequented by hosts of mighty sages, and
was always inhabited by various birds maddened with animal spirits.
And it grew at a spot devoid of mosquitoes and gad-flies, and abounding
in fruits and roots and water, and covered with green grass, and inhabit-
ed by the celestials and the Gandharvas, and of smooth surface, and
naturally healthful, and beauteous and cool and of delicate feel.
Having reached that (tree) together with those bulls among Brahmanas,
the high-souled ones gently alighted from the shoulders of the Rakshasas.
Then in company with those bulls among the twice-born ones, the
Pandavas beheld that romantic asylum presided over by Nara and
Narayana ; devoid of gloom ; and sacred ; and untouched by the solar
rays ; and free from those rubs, viz., hunger, and thirst, heat and cold,
and removing (all) sorrow ; and crowded with hosts of mighty sages ;
and adorned with the grace proceeding from the Vedas, Saman, Rich,
and Yajus ; and, O king, inaccessible to men who have renounced
religion ; and beautified with offerings, and Jwmas ; and sacred ; and
well-swept and daubed ; and shining all around with offerings of celes-
tial blossoms ; and spread over with altars of sacrificial fire, and sacred
ladles and pots ; and graced with large water-jars, and baskets and the
refuge of all beings ; and echoing with the chanting of the Vedas ; and
heavenly : and worthy of being inhabited ; and removing fatigue ; and
attended with splendour and of incomprehensible merit ; and majestic
with divine qualities. And the hermitage was inhabited by hosts of
great sages, subsisting on fruits and roots ; and having their senses under
perfect control ; and clad in black deer-skins ; and effulgent like unto
the Sun and Agni ; and of souls magnified by asceticism and intent
on emancipation ; and leading the Vanaprastha mode of life ; and of
subdued senses; and identified with the Supreme Soul; and of high
VANA PAEVA 309
fortune ; and reciting Vaidic hymns. Then having purified himself and
restrained his senses, that son of Dharma, the intelligent Yudhishthira of
exceeding energy, accompanied by his brothers, approached those sages.
And all the great sages endued with supernatural knowledge, knowing
Yudhishthira arrived, received him joyfully. And those sages engaged
in the recitation of the Vedas, and like unto fire itself, after having con-
ferred blessings on Yudhishthira, cheerfully accorded him fitting recep-
tion. And they gave him clean water and flowers and roots. And Yudhish-
thira the just received with regard the things gladly offered for his
reception by the great sages. And then, O sinless one, Pandu's son to-
gether with Krishna and his brothers, and thousands of Brahmanas ver-
sed in the Vedas and the Vendangas, entered into that holy hermitage,
like unto the abode of Sukra and pleasing the mind with heavenly
odours and resembling heaven itself and attended with beauty. There
the pious (Yudhishthira) beheld the hermitage of Nara and Narayana,
beautified by the Bhagirathi and worshipped by the gods and the celes-
tial sages. And seeing that hermitage inhabited by the Brahmarshis and
containing fruits dropping honey, the Pandavas were filled with delight.
And having reached that place, the high-souled ones began to dwell
with the Brahmanas. There beholding the holy lake Vinda, and the
mountain Mainaka, of golden summits and inhabited by various species
of birds, the magnanimous ones lived happily with joy. The son of
Pandu together with Krishna took pleasure in ranging excellent and
captivating woods, shining with flowers of every season ; beauteous on
all sides with trees bearing blown blossoms ; and bending down with the
weight of fruits and attended by the numerous male kokilas and of glossy
foliage ; and thick and having cool shade and lovely to behold. They
took delight in beholding diverse beautiful lakes of limpid water and
shining all round with lotuses and lilies. And there, O lord, the balmy
breeze bearing pure fragrance, blew gladdening all the Pandavas, toge-
ther with Krishna. And hard by the gigantic jujube, the mighty son
of Kunti saw the Bhagirathi of easy descent and cool and furnished with
fresh lotuses and having stairs made of rubies and corals and graced
with trees and scattered over with celestial flowers, and gladsome to the
mind. And at that spot, frequented by celestials and sages, and ex-
tremely inaccessible, they, after having purified themselves offered
oblations unto the pitris and the gods and the rishis in the sacred waters
of the Bhagirathi. Thus those bulls amoriig men the heroic perpetuators
of the Kuru race, began to reside there with the Brahmanas offering
oblations and practising meditation. And those tigers among men, the
Pandavas of the god-like appearance, felt delight in witnessing the vari-
ous amusements of Draupadi."
SECTION CXLV
(Tirtha-yalra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "There observing cleanliness, those tigers
among men dwelt for six nights, in expectation of beholding Dhananjaya.
And it came to pass that all of a sudden there blew a wind from the
north-east and brought a celestial lotus of a thousand petals and effulgent
as the sun. And Panchali saw that pure and charming lotus of unearthly
fragrance, brought by the wind and left on the ground. And having
obtained that excellent and beautiful lotus, that blessed one became
exceedingly delighted, O king, and addressed Bhimasena in the following
words, 'Behold, O Bhima, this most beautiful unearthly flower having
within it the very source of fragrance. It gladdenth my heart, O
represser of foes. This one shall be presented to Yudhishthira the just.
Do thou, therefore, procure others for my satisfaction — in order that I
may carry them to our hermitage in the Kamyaka. If, O Pritha's son,
I have found grace with thee, do thou then procure others of this species
in large numbers. I wish to carry them to our hermitage.' Having said
this, the blameless lady of beautiful glances approached Yudhishthira
the just, taking the flower. And knowing the desire of his beloved
queen that bull among men, Bhima of great strength, also set out, in
order to gratify her. And intent upon fetching the flowers, he began to
proceed at a rapid space, facing the wind, in the direction from which
the flower had come. And taking the bow inlaid with gold on the back
as also arrows like unto v enomous snakes, he proceeded as a lion in
anger or an elephant in rut. And all beings gazed at him, holding a
mighty bow and arrows. And neither exhaustion, nor languor, neither
fear nor confusion, ev er possessed the son of Pritha and the offspring of
Vayu (wind). And desirous of pleasing Draupadi the mighty one, free
from fear or confusion, ascended the peak depending on the strength of
his arms. And that slayer of foes began to range that beautiful peak
covered with trees, creepers and of black rocky base ; and frequented
by Kinnaras : and variegated with minerals, plants, beasts, and birds of
various hues ; and appearing like an upraised arm of the Earth adorned
with an entire set of ornaments. And that one of matchless prowess
proceeded, fixing his look at the slopes of the Gandhamadana, — beauti-
ful with flowers of ev ery season — and rev olv ing v arious thoughts in his
mind and with his ears, eyes and mind rivetted to the spots resounding
with the notes of male kokilas and ringing with the hum of black bees.
And like an elephant in rut ranging mad in a forest that one of mighty
prowess smelt the rare odour proceeding from the flowers of every
season. And he was fanned by the fresh breeze of the Gandhamadana
VANA PARVA 311
bearing the perfumes of various blossoms and cooling like unto a
father's touch. On his fatigue being removed the down on his body
stood on end. And in this state that represser of foes for the flowers
began to survey all the mountain, inhabited by Yakshas and Gandhar-
vas and celestials and Brahmarshis. And brushed by the leaves of
Saptachchada tree, besmeared with fresh red, black and white minerals,
he looked as if decorated with lines of holy unguents drawn by
fingers. And with clouds stretching at its sides, the mountain seemed
dancing with outspread wings. And on account of the trickling waters
of springs, it appeared to be decked with necklaces of pearls. And it
contained romantic caverns and groves and cascades and caves. And
there were excellent peacocks dancing to the jingling of the bangles of
the Apsaras. And its rocky surface was worn away by the end of tusks
of the elephants presiding over the cardinal points. And with the waters
of rivers falling down, the mountain looked as if its clothes were
getting loosened. And that graceful son of the wind-god playfully and
cheerfully went on, pushing away by his force countless inter-twisted
creepers. And stags in curiosity gazed at him, with grass in their mouths.
And not having experienced fear (ever before), they were unalarmed,
and did not flee away. And being engaged in fulfilling the desire of
his love, the youthful son of Pandu, stalwart and of splendour like
unto the hue of gold ; and hav ing a body strong as a lion ; and tread-
ing like a mad elephant ; and possessing the force of a mad elephant ;
and hav ing coppery eyes like unto those of a mad elephant ; and capable
of checking a mad elephant, began to range the romantic sides of the
Gandhamadana with his beautiful eyes uplifted ; and displaying as it
were a novel type of beauty. And the wives of Yakshas and Gandhar-
vas sitting invisible by the side of their husbands, stared at him,
turning their faces with various motions. Intent upon gratifying
Draupadi exiled unto the woods, as he was ranging the beautiful Gandha-
madana, he remembered the many and various woes caused by
Duryodhana. And he thought, 'Now that Arjuna sojourn in heaven
and that I too have come away to procure the flowers, what will
our brother Yudhishthira do at present ? Surely, from affection and
doubting their prowess, that foremost of men, Yudhishthira, will not
let Nakula and Sahadeva come in search of us. How, again, can I obtain
the flowers soon ?' Thinking thus, that tiger among men proceeded
in amain like unto the king of birds, his mind and sight fixed on the
delightful side of the mountain. And having for his provisions on
the journey the words of Draupadi, the mighty son of Pandu,
Vrikodara Bhima, endued with strength and the swiftness of the wind,
with his mind and sight fixed on the blooming slopes of the mountain,
proceeded speedily, making the earth tremble with his tread, even as
312 MAHABHABATA
doth a hurricane at the equinox ; and frightening herds of elephants
and grinding lions and tigers and deer and uprooting and smashing
large trees and tearing away by force plants and creepers, like unto an
elephant ascending higher and higher the summit of a mountain ; and
roaring fiercely even as a cloud attended with thunder. And awakened by
that mighty roaring of Bhima, tigers came out of their dens, while other
rangers of the forest hid themselves. And the coursers of the skies sprang
up (on their wing) in fright. And herds of deer hurriedly ran away. And
birds left the trees (and fled). And lions forsook their dens. And
the mighty lions were roused from their slumber. And the buffaloes
stared. And the elephants in fright, leaving that wood, ran to more
extensive forests in company with their mates. And the boars and the
deer and the lions and the buffaloes and the tigers and the jackals and
the gavayas of the wood began to cry in herds. And the ruddy geese,
and the gallinules and the ducks and the karandavas and the plavas and
the parrots and the male kokilas and the herons in confusion flew in all
directions, while some proud elephants urged by their mates, as also
some lions and elephants in rage, flew at Bhimasena. And as they were
distracted at heart through fear, these fierce animals discharging urine
and dung, set up loud yells with gapping mouths. Thereupon the illus-
trious and graceful son of the wind-god, the mighty Panda v a, depending
upon the strength of jhis arms, began to slay one elephant with another
elephant and one lion with another lion while he despatched the others
with slaps. And on being struck by Bhima the lions and the tigers and
the leopards, in fright gave loud cries and discharged urine and dung.
And after having destroyed these the handsome son of Pandu, possessed
of mighty strength, entered into the forest, making all sides resound
with his shouts. And then the long-armed one saw on the slopes of the
Gandhamadana a beautiful plantain tree spreading over many a yojana.
And like unto a mad lion, that one of great strength proceeded amain
towards that tree breaking down v arious plants. And that foremost
of strong persons — Bhima — uprooting innumerable plaintain trunks
equal in height to many palm-trees (placed one above another), cast
them on all sides with force. And that highly powerful one, haughty
like a male lion, sent up shouts. And then he encountered countless
beasts of gigantic size, and stags, and monkeys, and lions, and buffaloes,
and aquatic animals. And what with the cries of these, and what
with the shouts of Bhima, even the beasts and birds that were at
distant parts of the wood, became all frightened. And hearing those
cries of beasts and birds, myriads of acquatic fowls suddenly rose up on
wetted wings. Ang seeing these fowls of water, that bull among the
Bharatas proceeded in that direction ; and saw a vast and romantic lake.
And that fathomless lake was, as it were, being fanned by the golden
VANA PABVA 818
plantain trees on the coast, shaken by the soft breezes. And immediate-
ly descending into the lake abounding in lilies and lotuses, he began
to sport lustily like unto a mighty maddened elephant. Having thug
sported there for a long while, he of immeasurable effulgence ascended,
in order to penetrate with speed into that forest filled with trees. Then
the Pandava winded with all his might his loud-blowing shell. And
striking his arms with his hands, the mighty Bhima made all the points
of heaven resound. And filled with the sounds of the shell, and with
the shouts of Bhimasena, and also with the reports produced by the
striking of his arms, the caves of the mountain seemed as if they were
roaring. And hearing those loud arm-strokes, like unto the crashing of
thunder, the lions that were slumbering in the caves, uttered mighty
howls. And being terrified by the yelling of the lions, the elephants,
O Bharata, sent forth tremendous roars, which filled the mountain. And
hearing those sounds emitted, and knowing also Bhimasena to be his
brother, the ape Hanuman, the chief of monkeys, with the view of
doing good to Bhima, obstructed the path leading to heaven. And
thinking that he (Bhima) should not pass that way, (Hanuman) lay
across the narrow path, beautified by plantain trees, obstructing it for
the sake of the safety of Bhima. With the object that Bhima might not
come by curse or defeat, by entering into the plantain wood, the ape
Hanuman of huge body lay down amidst the plantain trees, being over-
come with drowsiness. And he began to yawnt lashing his long tail,
raised like unto the pole consecrated to Indra, and sounding like
thunder. And on all sides round, the mountains by the mouths of caves
emitted those sounds in echo, like a cow lowing. And as it was being
shaken by the reports produced by the lashing of the tail, the moun-
tain with its summits tottering, began to crumble all around. And
overcoming that roaring of mad elephants, the sounds of his tail spread
over the varied slopes of the mountain.
"On those sounds being heard the down of Bhima's body stood on
end ; and he began to range that plantain woodi in search of those
sounds. And that one of mighty arms saw the monkey-chief in the
plantain wood, on an elevated rocky base. And he was hard to be look-
ed at even as the lightning-flash ; and of coppery hue like that of the
lightning-flash : and endued with the voice of the lightning-flash ; and
quick moving as the lightning-flash ; and having his short fleshy neck
supported on his shoulders ; and with his waist slender in consequence
of the fullness of his shoulders. And his tail covered with long hair, and
a little bent at the end, was raised like unto a banner. And ( Bhima )
saw Hanuman' s head furnished with small lips, and coppery face and
tongue, and red ears, and brisk eyes, and bare white incisors sharpened
at the edge. And his head was like unto the shining moon ; adorned
814 MAHABHABATA
with white teeth within the mouth ; and with mane scattered over,
resembling a heap of asoka flowers. And admidst the golden plantain
trees, that one of exceeding effulgence was lying like unto a blazing fire,
with his radiant body. And that slayer of foes was casting glances with
his eyes reddened with intoxication. And the intelligent Bhima saw
that mighty chief of monkeys, of huge body, lying like unto the Hima-
laya, obstructing the path of heaven. And seeing him alone in that
mighty forest, the undaunted athletic Bhima, of long arms, approached
him with rapid strides, and uttered a loud shout like unto the thunder.
And at that shout of Bhima, beasts and birds became all alarmed. The
powerful Hanuman, however, opening his eyes partially, looked at him
(Bhima) with disregard, with eyes reddened with intoxication. And
then smilingly addressing him, Hanuman said the following words,
'111 as I am, I was sleeping sweetly. Why hast thou awakened me ?
Thou shouldst show kindness to all creatures, as thou hast reason. Be-
longing to the animal species, we are ignorant of virtue. But being
endued with reason, men show kindness towards creatures. Why do
then reasonable person like thee commit themselves to acts contaminan-
ting alike body, Tspeech, and heart, and destructive of virtue ? Thou
knowest not what virtue is, neither hast thou taken council of the wise.
And therefore it is that from ignorance, and childishness thou destroy-
est the lower animals. Say, who art thou, and what for hast thou come
to the forest devoid of humanity and human beings ? And, O fore-
most of men, tell thou also, whither thou wilt go to-day. Further it is
impossible to proceed. Yonder hills are inaccessible. O hero, save the
passage obtained by the practice of asceticism, there is no passage to that
place. This is the path of the celestials ; it is ever impassable by mor-
tals. Out of kindness, O hero, do I dissuade thee. Do thou hearken unto
my words- Thou canst not proceed further from this place. Therefore,
O lord, do thou desist. O chief of men, to-day in very way thou art
welcome to this place. If thou think it proper to accept my words, do
thou then, O best of men, rest here, partaking of fruits and roots, sweet
as ambrosial and do not have thyself destroyed for naught.' "
SECTION CXLVI
k ( Tirtha.yatra Parva continued )
Vaisampayana said, "O represser of foes, hearing these words of
the intelligent monkey-chief, the heroic Bhima answered, 'Who art
thou ? And why also hast thou assumed the shape of a monkey ? It is
a Kshatriya — one of a race next to the Brahmanas — that asketh thee.
And he belongeth to the Kuru race and the lunar stock, and was borne
by Kunti in her womb, and is one of the sons of Pandu, and is the off-
VANA PABVA 815
spring of the wind-god, and is known by the name of Bhimasena.'
Hearing these words of the Kuru hero, Hanuman smiled, and that
son of the wind-god ( Hanuman ) spake unto that offspring of the wind-
god (Bhimasena), saying, 'I am a monkey, I will not allow thee the
passage thou desirest. Better desist and go back. Do thou not meet
with destruction.' At this Bhimasena replied, 'Destruction at any-
thing else do I not ask thee about, O monkey. Do thou give me passage.
Arise ! Do not come by grief ac my hands.* Hanuman said, 'I have
no strength to rise : I am suffering from illness. If go thou must, do
thou go by overleaping me.' Bhima said, 'The Supreme Soul void of
the properties pervadeth a body all over. Him knowable alone by
knowledge, I cannot disregard. And therefore, will I not overleap
thee. If I had not known Him from Whom become manifest all crea-
tures, I would have leapt over thee and also the mountain, even as
Hanuman had bounded over the ocean.' Thereupon Hanuman said,
'Who is that Hanuman, who had bounded over the ocean ? I ask
thee, O best of men. Relate if thou canst.' Bhima replied, 'He is
even my brother, excellent with every perfection, and endued with
intelligence and strength both of mind and body. And he is the illus-
trious chief of monkeys, renewed in the Ramayana. And for Rama's
queen, that king of the monkeys even with one leap crossed the ocean
extending over a hundred yojana*. That mighty one is my brother. I
am equal unto him in energy, strength and prowess and also in fight.
And able am I to punish thee. So arise. Either give me passage or wit-
ness my prowess to-day. If thou do not listen to my bidding, I shall
send thee to the abode of Yama.' '
Vaisampayana continued, 'Then knowing him (Bhima) to be in-
toxicated with strength, and proud of the might of his arms, Hanuman,
slighting him at heart, said the following words, 'Relent thou, O sinless
one. In consequence of age, I have no strength to get up. From pity
for me, do thou go, moving aside my tail.' Being thus addressed by
Hanuman, Bhima proud of the strength of his arms, took him for one
wanting in energy and prowess, and thought within himself, Taking
fast hold of the tail, will I send this monkey destitute of energy and
prowess, to the region of Yama.' Thereat, with a smile he slightingly
took hold of the tail with his left hand ; but could not move that tail of
the mighty monkey. Then with both arms he pulled it, resembling the
pole reared in honour of Indra. Still the mighty Bhima could not raise
the tail with both his arms. And his eye-brows were contracted up,
and his eyes rolled, and his face was contracted into wrinkless and his
body was covered with sweat ; and yet he could not raise it. And
when after having striven, the illustrious Bhima failed in raising
the tail, he approached the side of the monkey, and stood with a bashful
$16 MAfiABHABAtA
countenance. And bowing down, Kunti's son, with joined hands, spake
these words, 'Relent thou, O foremost of monkeys : and forgive me for
my harsh words. Art thou a Siddha, or a god, or a Gandharva, or a
Guhyaka ? I ask thee out of curiosity. Tell me who thgu art that hast
assumed the shape of monkey, if it be not a secret, O long-armed one,
and if I can well hear it. I ask thee as a disciple, and I, O sinless one,
seek thy refuge.' Thereupon Hanuman said, 'O represser of foes, even
to the extent of thy curiosity to know me, shall I relate all at length.
Listen, O son of Pandu 1 O lotus-eyed one, I was begotten by the wind-
god that life of the world— upon the wife of Kesari. I am a monkey, by
name Hanuman. All the mighty monkey-kings, and monkey-chiefs
used to wait upon that son of the sun, Sugriva, and that son of Sakra,
Vali. And, O represser of foes, a friendship subsisted between me and
Sugriva, even as between the wind and fire. And for some cause,
Sugriva, driven out by his brother, for a long time dwelt with me at
the Hrisyamukh. And it came to pass that the mighty son of Dasaratha
the heroic Rama, who is Vishnu's self in the shape of a human being,
took his birth in this world. And in company with his queen and
brother, taking his bow, that foremost of bowmen with the view of
compassing his father's welfere, began to reside in the Dandaka forest.
And from Janasthana, that mighty Rakshasa monarch, the wicked
Ravana, carried away his ( Rama's ) queen by stratagem and force,
deceiving, O sinless one, that foremost of men, through the agency of
a Rakshasa, Maricha, who assumed the form of a deer marked with
gem-like and golden spots.' '
SECTION CXLVII
( Tirtha.yatra Parva continued )
Hanuman said, 'And after his wife was carried away, that
descendant of Raghu, while searching with his brother for his queen,
met, on the summit of that mountain, with Sugriva, chief of the
monkeys. Then a friendship was contracted between him and the
high-souled Raghava. And the latter, having slain Vali installed
Sugriva in the kingdom. And having obtained the kingdom, Sugriva
sent forth monkeys by hundreds and by thousands in search of Sita.
And, O best of men, I too with innumerable monkeys set out towards
the south in quest of Sita, O mighty-armed one. Then a mighty vulture
Sampati by name, communicated the tidings that Sita was in the abode
of Ravana. Thereupon with the object of securing success unto Rama,
I all of a sudden bounded over the main, extending for a hundred yojanas.
And, O chief of the Bharatas, having by my own prowess crossed the
ocean, that abode of sharks and crocodiles, I saw in Ravana's residence.
VANA PARVA 817
the daughter of king Janaka, Sita, like unto the daughter of a celestial.
And having interviewed that lady, Vaidehi, Rama's beloved, and burnt
the whole of Lanka with its towers and ramparts and gates, and pro-
claimed my name there, I returned. Hearing everything from me the
lotus-eyed Rama at once ascertained his course of action, and having
for the passage of his army constructed a bridge across the deep,
crossed it followed by myriads of monkeys. Then by prowess Rama
slew those Rakshasas in battle, and also Ravana, the oppressor of
the worlds together with his Rakshasa followers. And having slain the
king of the Rakshasas, with his brother, and sons and kindred, he in-
stalled in the kingdom in Lanka the Rakshasa chief, Vibhishana, pious,
and reverent, and kind to devoted dependants. Then Rama recovered
his wife even like the lost Vaidic revelation. Then Raghu's son, Rama,
with his devoted wife, returned to his own city, Ayodhya, inaccessible
to enemies ; and that lord of men began to dwell there. Then that
foremost of kings, Rama, was established in the kingdom. Thereafter,
I asked a boon of the lotus-eyed Rama, saying, 'O slayer of foes, Rama,
may I live as long as the history of thy deeds remaineth extant on earth !'
Thereupon he said, 'So be it. O represser of foes, O Bhima, through
the grace of Sita also, here all excellent objects of entertainment are
supplied to me, whoever abide at this place. Rama reigned for the
thousand and ten hundred years. Then he ascended to his own abode.
Ever since, here Apsaras and Gandharvas delight me, singing for aye the
deeds of that hero, O sinless one. O son of the Kurus, this path is
impassable to mortals. For this, O Bharata, as also with the view that
none might defeat or curse thee. have I obstructed thy passage to this
path trod by the immortals. This is one of the paths to heaven, for the
celestials : mortals cannot pass this way. But the lake in search -of
which thou hast come, lieth even in that direction.' "
SECTION CXLVIII
( Tirtha-yatra Parva continued )
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed* the powerful Bhima-
sena of mighty arms, affectionately, and with a cheerful heart, bowed
unto his brother, Hanuman, the monkey-chief, and said in mild words,
'None is more fortunate than I am ; now have I seen my elder
brother. It is a great favour shown unto me ; and I have been well-
pleased with thee. Now I wish that thou mayst fulfil this desire of mine.
I desire to behold, O hero, that incomparable form of thine, which thou
at that time hadst had, in bounding over the main, that abode of
sharks and crocodiles. Thereby I shall be satisfied, and also believe in
thy words.' Thus addressed, that mighty monkey said with a smile,
118 MAHABHARATA
That form of mine neither thou, not any one else can behold. At that
age, the state of things was different, and doth not exist at present.
In the Krita age, the state of things was one ; and in the Treta, another :
and in the Dwapara, still another. Diminution is going on this age ; and
I have not that form now. The ground, riversf, plants, and rocks, and
siddhas, gods, and celestial sages conform to Time, in harmony with
the state of things in the different yugas. Therefore, do not desire to
see my former shape, O perpetuator of the Kuru race. I am conforming
to the tendency of the age: Verily, Time is irresistible/ Bhimasena said,
Tell me of the duration of the different yugas, and of the different
manners and customs, and of virtue, pleasure and profit, and of acts,
and energy, and of life and death in the different yugas.* Thereupon
Hanuman said, 'O child, that yuga is called Krita when the one
eternal religion was extant. And in that best of yugas, every one had
religious perfection, and, therefore, there was no need of religious acts.
And then virtue knew no deterioration ', nor did people decrease. It is
for this that this age is called Krita (perfect). But in time the yuga
had come to be considered as an inferior one. And, O child, in the
Krita age, there were neither gods, nor demons, nor Gandharvas, nor
Yakshas, nor Rakshasas, nor Nagas. And there was no buying and
selling. And the Sanaa, the Rich, and the Yajus did not exist. And
there was no manual labour. And then the necessaries of life were
obtained only by being thought of. And the only merit was in renoun-
cing the world. And during that yuga, there was neither disease, nor
decay of the senses. And there was neither malice, nor pride, nor
hypocrisy, nor discord, nor ill-will, nor cunning, nor fear, nor misery,
nor envy, nor covetousness. And for this, that prime refuge of Yogis,
even the Supreme Brahma, was attainable to all. And Narayana wear-
ing a white hue was the soul of all creatures. And in the Krita Yuga,
the distinctive characteristics of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and
Sudras were natural, and these ever stuck to their respective duties.
And then Brahma was the sole refuge, and their manners and customs
were naturally adapted to the attainment of Brahma and the objects of
their knowledge was the sole Brahma, and all their acts also had refe-
rence to Brahma. In this way all the orders attained merit. And one
uniform Soul was the object of their meditation ; and there was only
one mantra ( the Om ), and there was one ordinance. And although
of different characteristics, all of them followed a single Veda ; and
they had one religion. And according to the divisions of time, they led
the four modes of life, without aiming at any object, and so they
attained emancipation. The religion consisting in the identification of
self with Brahma indicates the Krita Yuga. And in the Krita Yuga, the
virtue of the four orders is throughout entire in four-fold measure.
VAN A PABYA 819
Such is the Krita Yuga devoid of the three qualities. Do thou also hear
from me of the character of the Treta Yuga. In this age, sacrifices arc
introduced! and virtue decreaseth by a quarter. And Narayana (who
is the Soul of all creatures) assumeth a red colour. And men practise
truth, and devote themselves to religion and religious rites. And
thence sacri6ces and various religious observances come into existence.
And in the Treta Yuga people begin to devise means for the attain-
ment of an object ; and they attain it through acts and gifts. And they
never deviate from virtue. And they are devoted to asceticism and to
the bestowal of gifts. And the four orders adhere to their respective
duties ; and perform rites. Such are the men of the Treta Yuga. In the
Dwapara Yuga, religion decreaseth by one half. And Narayana weareth
a yellow hue. And the Veda becometh divided into four parts. And
then some men retain (the knowledge of) the four Vedas, and some of
three Vedas, and some of one Veda, while others do not know even the
Richs. And on the Shastras becoming thus divided, acts become mul-
tiplied. And largely influenced by passion, people engage in asceticism
and gifts. And from their incapacity to study the entire Veda, it
becomes divided into several parts. And in consequence of intellect
having decreased, few are established in truth. And when people fall
off from truth, they become subject to various diseases ; and then lust,
and natural calamities ensue. And afflicted with these, people betake
themselves to penances. And some celebrate sacrifices, desiring to
enjoy the good things of life, or attain heaven. On the coming of the
Dwapara Yuga, men become degenerate, in consequence of impiety.
O son of Kunti, in the Kali Yuga a quarter only of virtue abideth. And
in the beginning of this iron age, Narayana weareth a black hue. And
the Vedas and the institutes, and virtue, and sacrifices, and religious
observances, fall into disuse. And (then) reign iti,1 and disease, and
lassitude, and anger and other deformities, and natural calamities, and
anguish, and fear of scarcity. And as the yugas wane, virtue duindles.
And as virtue duindles away, creatures degenerate. And as crea-
tures degenerate, their natures undergo deterioration. And the religious
acts performed at the waning of the yugas, produce contrary effects.
And even those that live for several yugas, conform to these changes.
O represser of foes, as regards thy curiosity to know me, I say this, —
Why should a wise person be eager to know a superfluous matter ?
(Thus), O long-armed one, have I narrated in full what thou hadst
asked me regarding the characteristics of the different yugas. Good
happen to thee ! Do thou return.' '
1 Iti means these six things, unfavourable to crops ;-..excessive rain,
drought, rats, locusts, birds, and a neighbouring hostile king.
SECTION CXLIX
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
"Bhimasena said, 'Without beholding thy former shape, I will
never go away, If I have found favour with thee, do thou then show
me thine own shape.' '
Vaisampayana continued, "Being thus addressed by Bhima, the
monkey with a smile showed him that form of his in which he had
bounded over the main. And wishing to gratify his brother, Hanuman
assumed a gigantic body which (both) in length and breadth increased
exceedingly. And that monkey of immeasurable effulgence stood there,
covering the plantain grove furnished with trees, and elevating himself
to the height reached by the Vindhya. And the monkey, having attained
his lofty and gigantic body like unto a mountain, furnished with
coppery eyes, and sharp teeth, and a face marked by frown, lay
covering all sides, and lashing his long tail. And that son of the Kurus,
Bhima, beholding that gigantic form of his brother, wondered, and the
hairs of his body repeatedly stood on end. And beholding him like
unto the sun in splendour, and unto a golden mountain, and also unto
the blazing firmament, Bhima closed his eyes. Thereupon Hanuman
addressed Bhima with a smile, saying, 'O sinless one, thou art capable
of beholding my size up to this extent. I can, however, go on swelling
my size as long as I wish. And, O Bhima, amidst foes, my size increaseth
exceedingly by its own energy.'
Vaisampayana said, "Witnessing that dreadful and wonderful
body of Hinuman, like unto the Vindhya mountain, the son of the
wind-god became bewildered. Then with his down standing erect, the
noble-minded Bhima, joining his hands, replied unto Hanuman saying
(there), 'O lord, by me have been beheld the vast dimensions of thy
body. Do thou (now), O highly powerful one, decrease thyself by thy
own power. Surely I cannot look at thee, like unto the sun risen, and
of immeasurable (power), and irrepressible, and resembling the moun-
tain Mainaka. O hero, to-day this wonder of my heart is very great,
that thou remaining by his side, Rama should have encountered Ravana
personally. Depending on the strength of thy arms, thou wert capable
of instantly destroying Lanka, with its warriors, and horses, elephants
and chariots. Surely, O son of the wind-god, there is nothing that is
incapable of being achieved by thee ; and in tight, Ravana together with
his followers was no match for thee single-handed.' '
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by Bhima, Hanuman,
the chief of monkeys, answered in affectionate words uttered in solemn
accents, 'O mighty-armed one, O Bharata, it is even as thou sayest.
O Bhima sena, that worst of Rakshasas was no match for me. But if I
VAN A PARVA 321
had slain Rav ana— that thorn of the worlds — the glory of Raghu's son
would have been obscured ; — and for this it is that I left him alone.
By slaying that lord of the Rakshasas together with his followers, and
bringing back Sita unto his own city, that hero hath established his fame
among men. Now, O highly wise one, being intent on the welfare of
thy brothers, and protected by the wind-god, do thou go along a
fortunate and auspicious way. O foremost of the Kurus, this way will
lead thee to the Saugandhika wood. (Proceeding in this direction), thou
wilt behold the gardens of Kuvera, guarded by Yakshas and Rakshasas.
Do thou not pluck the flowers (there) personally by thy own force ; for
the gods deserve regard specially from mortals. O best of the Bharata
race, the gods confer their favour (upon men), (being propitiated) by
offerings, and liomas, and reverential salutations, and recitation of mantras,
and veneration, O Bharata. Do thou not, therefore, act with rashness,
O child ; and do thou not deviate from the duties of thy order. Sticking
to the duties of thy order, do thou understand and follow the highest
morality. Without knowing duties and serving the old, even persons
like unto Vrihaspati cannot understand profit and religion. One should
ascertain with discrimination those cases in which vice goeth under the
name of virtue, and virtue goeth under the name of vice, — (cases) in
which people destitute of intelligence become perplexed. From religious
observances proceedeth merit ; and in merit are established the Vedas ;
and from the Vedas sacrifices come into existence ; and by sacrifices are
established the gods. The gods are maintained by the (celebration of)
sacrifices prescribed by the Vedas and the religious ordinances ; while
men maintain themselves by (following) the ordinances of Vrihaspati
and Usanas and also by these avocations, by which the world is main-
tained,— serving for wages, (receiving) taxes, merchandise, agriculture
and tending kine and sheep. The world subsisteth by profession.
The (study of the) three Vedas and agriculture and trade and govern-
ment constitutes, it is ordained by the wise, the professions of the
twice- born ones ; and each order maintaineth itself by following the
profession prescribed for it. And when these callings are properly
pursued, the world is maintained with ease. If, however, people do not
righteously lead their lives, the world becometh lawless, in consequence
of the want of Vedic merit and government. And if people do not resort
to (their) prescribed vocations, they perish, but by regularly following
the three professions, they bring about religion. The religion of the
Brahmanas consisteth in the knowledge of the soul and the hue of that
order alone is universally the same. The celebration of sacrifices, and
study and bestowal of gifts are well-known to be the three duties com-
mon ( to all these orders ). Officiating at sacrifices, teaching and the
acceptance of gifts are the duties of a Brahmana. To rule (the subjects)
is the duty of the [Cshatriya ; and to tend (cattle), that of the Vaisya,
while to serve the twice-born orders is said to be the duty of the Sudra.
The Sudras cannot beg alms, or perform homas, or observe vows ; and
they must dwell in the habitation of their masters. Thy vocation, O
son of Kunti, is that of the Kshatriya, which is to protect (the subjects).
Do thou carry out thy own duties, in an humble spirit, restraining thy
senses. That king alone can govern, who taketh counsel of experienced
men, and is helped by honest, intelligent and learned ministers ; but a
king who is addicted to v ices, meeteth with defeat. Then only is the
order of the world secured, when the king duly puniseth and confer-
eth favours. Therefore, it is necessary to ascertain through spies the
nature of the hostile country, its fortified places and the allied force of
10
322 MAHABHARATA
the enemy and their prosperity and decay and the way in which they
retain the adhesion of the powers they have drawn to their side. Spies
are among the important auxiliaries of the king ; and tact, diplomacy,
prowess, chastisement, favour and cleverness lead to success. And suc-
cess is to be attained through these, either in separation, or combined —
namely, conciliation, gift, sowing dissensions, chastisement, and sight.
And, O chief of the Bharatas, polity hath for its root diplomacy ; and
diplomacy also is the main qualification of spies. And polity, if well-
judged conferreth success. Therefore, in matters of polity the counsels
of Brahmanas should be resorted to. And in secret affairs, these should
not be consulted, — namely, a woman, a sot, a boy, a cov etous person, a
mean-minded individual, and he that betray eth signs of insanity. Wise
men only should be consulted, and affairs are to be despatched through
officers that are able. And polity must be executed through persons
that are friendly ; but dunces should in all affairs be excluded. In
matters religious, pious men ; and in matters of gain, wise men ; and in
guarding families, eunuchs ; and in all crooked affairs, crooked men,
must be employed. And the propriety or impropriety of the resolution
of the enemy, as also their strength or weakness, must be ascertained
through one's own as well as hostile spies. Favour should be shown to
honest persons that have prudently sought protection ; but lawless and
disobedient individuals should be punished. And when the king justly
punisheth and showeth favour, the dignity of the law is well maintain-
ed, O son of Pritha, thus have I expounded unto thee the hard duties of
kings difficult to comprehend. Do thou with equanimity observe these
as prescribed for thy order. The Brahmanas attain heaven through
merit, mortification of the senses, and sacrifice. The Vaisyas attain
excellent state through gifts, hospitality, and religious acts. The Kshatri-
yas attain the celestial regions by protecting and chastising the subjects,
uninfluenced by lust, malice, avarice and anger. If kings justly punish
( their subjects ), they go to the place whither repair meritorious
persons.'
SECTION CL
( Tirtha-yatra Prava continued )
yaisampayana said, "Then contracting that huge body of his,
which he had assumed at will, the monkey with his arms again embraced
Bhimasena. And, O Bharata, on Bhima being embraced by his brother,
his fatigue went off, and all ( the powers of body ) as also his strength
were restored. And having gained great accession of strength, he
thought that there was none equal to him in physical power. And with
tears in his eyes, the monkey from affection again addressed Bhima in
choked utterance, saying, 'O hero, repair to thy own abode. May I be
incidentally remembered by thee in thy talk ! O best of Kurus, do not
tell any one that I abide here. O thou of great strength, the most excel-
lent of the wiv es cf the gods and Gandharv as resort to this place, and
the time of then Arrival is nigh. My eyes have been blessed (by seeing
thee;. And , U Bhima, hav ing felt a human being by coming in contact
with thee, I have been put in mind of that son of Raghu, who was
Vishnu himself under the name of Rama, and who delighted the heart
ot the world ; and who was as the sun in regard to the lotus face of Sita
VANA PARVA 323
and also to that darkness — Ravana. Therefore, O heroic son of Kunti,
let not thy meeting with me be fruitless. Do thou with fraternal
feeling ask of me a boon, O Bharata. If this be thy wish, that going to
Varanavata, I may destroy the insignificant sons of Dhritarashtra— even
this will I immediately do. Or if this be thy wish that, that city may
be ground by me with rocks, or that I may bind Duryodhana and bring
him before thee, even this will I do to-day, O thou of mighty strength.' "
Vaisampayana said, "Hearing those words of that high-souled
one, Bhimasena with a cheerful heart answered Hanuman, saying, 'O
foremost of monkeys, I take all this as already performed by thee. Good
happen to thee. O mighty- armed one ! I ask of thee this,— be thou well
pleased with me. O powerful one, on thy having become our protec-
tor, the Panda v as have found help. Even by thy prowess shall we
conquer all foes.' Thus addressed, Hanuman said unto Bhimasena,
'From fraternal feeling and affection, I will do good unto thee, by div ing
into the army of thy foes copiously furnished with arrows and javelins.
And, O highly powerful one, O hero, when thou shalt give leonine roars!
then shall I with my own, add force to shouts. Remaining on the flag-
staff of Arjuna's car will I emit fierce shouts that will damp the energy
of thy^foes. Thereby ye will slay them easily.' Having said this unto
Pandu s son, and also pointed him out the way, Hanuman vanished at
that spot."
SECTION CLI
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "When that foremost of monkeys had gone
away, Bhima, the best of strong men, began to range the huge Gandha-
madana along that path. And he went on, thinking of Hanuman's
body and splendour unrivalled on earth, and also of the greatness and
dignity of Dasaratha's son. A.nd proceeding in search of the place filled
with lotuses of that kind, Bhima beheld romantic woods, and groves,
and rivers, and lakes graced with trees bearing blossoms, and flowery
woodlands variegated with various flowers. And, O Bharata, he beheld
herds of mad elephants besmeared with mud, resembling masses of
pouring clouds. And that graceful one went on with speed, beholding
by the wayside woods wherein there stood with their mates deer of
quick glances, holding the grass in their mouths. And fearless from
prowess, Bhimasena, as if invited by the breeze-shaken trees of the
forest ever fragrant with flowers, bearing delicate coppery twigs, plung-
ed into the mountainous regions inhabited by buffaloes, bears and
leopards. And on the way, he passed by lotus-lakes haunted by mad-
dened black- bees, having romantic descents and woods, and on account
of the presence of lotus-buds, appearing as if they had joined their
hands (before Bhima). And having for his provisions on the journey
the words of Draupadi, Bhima went on with speed, his mind and sight
fixed on the blooming slopes of the mountain. And when the sun
passed the meridian, he saw in the forest scattered over with deer, a
mighty river filled with fresh golden lotuses. And being crowded with
swans and Karandavas, and graced with Chakravakas, the river looked
like a garland of fresh lotuses put on by the mountain. And in that
river that one of great strength found the extensive assemblage of
324 MAHABHAEATA
Saugandhika lotuses, effulgent as the rising sun, and delightful to behold.
And beholding it, Pandu s son thought within himself that his object
had been gained, and also mentally presented himself before his be-
loved worn out by exile."
SECTION CLII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Having reached that spot, Bhimasena saw
in the vicinity of the Kailasa cliff, th.it beautiful lotus lake surrounded
by lovely woods, and guarded by the Rakshasas. And it sprang from
the cascades contiguous to the abode of Kuvera. And it was beautiful
to behold, and was furnished with a wide- spreading shade and abounded
in various trees and creepers and was covered with green lilies. And
this unearthly lake was filled with golden lotuses, and swarmed with
diverse species of birds. And its banks were beautiful and devoid of
mud. And situated on the rocky elevation this expanse of excellent
water was exceedingly fair. And it was the wonder of the world and
healthful and of romantic sight. In that lake the son of Kunti saw the
water of ambrosial taste and cool and light and clear and fresh ; and the
Pandava drank of it profusely. And that unearthly receptacle of
waters was covered with celestial Saugandhika lotuses, and was also
spead over with beautiful variegated golden lotuses of excellent frag-
rance having graceful stalks of lapis lazulis. And swayed by swans and
Karandavas, these lotuses were scattering fresh farina. And this lake
was the sporting region of the high-souled Kuvera, the king of the
Yakshas. And it was held in high regard by the Gandharvas the
Apsaras and the celestials. And it was frequented by the celestial sages
and the Yakshas and the Kimpurushas and the Rakshasas and the Kin-
naras ; and it was well-protected by Kuvera. And as soon as he beheld
that river and that unearthly lake, Kunti's son, Bhimasena of mighty
strength became exceedingly delighted. And agreeably to the mandate
of their king, hundreds and thousands of Rakshasas, named Krodhavasas,
were guarding that lake, wearing uniforms and armed with various
weapons. And as that represser of foes, Kunti's son, the heroic Bhima
of dreadful prowess, clad in deer-skins and wearing golden armlets and
equipped with weapons and girding his sword on, was fearlessly proceed-
ing, with the view of gathering the lotus, those (Rakshasas) saw him
and immediately began to address each other, shouting forth, It be-
hoveth you to enquire for the errand on which this foremost of men,
clad in deer skins, and equipped with arms, hath come/ Then they all
approached the effulgent Vrikodara of mighty arms and asked, 'Who
art thou ? Thou shouldst answer our questions. We see thee in the
guise of an asectic and yet armed with weapons. O thou of mighty
intelligence, do thou unfold unto us the object with which thou hast
come (hither).' "
SECTION CLIII
(Tirfha-yatra Parva continued)
"Bhirna said, 1 am the son of Pandu, and next by birth to Yudhish-
thira the just, and my name is Bhimasena. O Rakshasas, I have come
with my brothers to the jujube named Visala. At that place, Panchali
VANA PABVA 325
saw an excellent Saugandhika lotus, which, of a certainty, was carried
thither by the wind from this region. She wisheth to have those flowers
in abundance. Know ye, ye Rakshasas, that I am engaged in fulfilling
the desire of my wedded wife of faultless features, and have come
hither to procure the flowers. Thereat the Rakshasas said, 'O fore-
most of men, this spot is dear unto Kuvera, and it is his sporting
region. Men subject to death cannot sport here. O Vrikodara, the
celestial sages, and the gods taking the permission of the chief of the
Yakshas, drink of this lake, and sport herein. And, O Pandava, the
Gandharvas and the Apsaras also divert themselves in this lake. That
wicked person who, disregarding the lord of treasures, unlawfully
attempteth to sport here, without doubt, meeteth with destruction.
Disregarding him, thou seekest to take away the lotuses from this place
by main force. Why then dost thou say that thcu art the brother of
Yudhishthira the just ? First, taking the permission of the lord of
Yakshas, do thou drink of this lake and take away the flowers. If thou
dost not do this, thou shalt not be able even to glance at a single lotus
Bhimasena said, 'Ye Rakshasas, I do not see the lord of wealth here
And even if I did see that mighty king, I would not beseech him
Kshatriyas never beseech (any body). This is the eternal morality ; and
I by no means wish to forsake the Kshatriya morality. And, further
this lotus-lake hath sprung from the cascades of the mountain ; it hath'
not been excavated in the mansion of Kuvera. Therefore it belongeth
equally to all creatures with Vaisravana. In regard to a thing of such a
nature, who goeth to beseech another ?' "
Vaisampayana said, "Having said this unto the Rakshasas, the
mighty-armed and exceedingly unforbearing Bhimasena of great strength
plunged into the lotus-lake. Thereat that powerful one was forbidden
by the Rakshasas, saying, 'Do not do this ;' and they from all sides
began to abuse him in anger. But slighting these Rakshasas, that mighty
one of dreadful prowess plunged (farther and farther). Now they all
prepared for opposing him. And with eyes rolling, they upraised their
arms, and rushed in wrath at Bhimasena, exclaiming, 'Seize him !' 'Bind
him ! Hew him ! We shall cook Bhimasena, and eat him up !' There-
upon that one of great force, taking his ponderous and mighty mace in-
laid with golden plates, like unto the mace of Yama himself, turned
towards those, and then said, 'Stay !' At this, they darted at him with
vehemence, brandishing lances, and axes, and other weapons. And
wishing to destroy Bhima, the dreadful and fierce Krodhavasas surroun-
ed Bhima on all sides. But that one, being endued with strength, had
been begotten by Vayu in the womb of Kunti ; and he was heroic and
energetic, and the slayer of foes, and ever devoted to virtue and truth,
and incapable of being v anguished by enemies through prowess. Accord-
ingly this high-souled Bhima defeating all the manoeuvres of the foes,
and breaking their arms, killed on the banks of the lake more than a
hundred, commencing with the foremost. And then witnessing his
prowess and strength, and the force of his skill, and also the might of
his arms ; and unable to bear (the onset), those prime heroes all of a
sudden fled on all sides in bands.
"Beaten and pierced by Bhimasena, those Krodhavasas quitted the
field of battle, and in confusion quickly fled towards the Kailasa cliff,
supporting themselves in the sky. Having thus by the exercise of his
prowess defeated those hosts, even as Sakra had defeated the armies of
Daityas and Dana v as, he (Bhima), now that he had conquered the
326 MAHABHAEATA
enemy, plueged into the lake and began to gather the lotuses, with the
object of gaining his purpose. And as he drank of the waters, like unto
nectar, his energy and strength were again fully restored ; and he fell
to plucking and gathering Saugandhika lotuses of excellent fragrance.
On the other hand, the Krodhavasas, being driven by the might of
Bhima and exceedingly terrified, presented themselves before the lord
of wealth, and gave an exact account of Bhima's prowess and strength
in fight. Hearing their words, the god (Kuvera) smiled and then said,
'Let Bhima take for Krishna as many lotuses as he likes. This is all-
ready known to me.' Thereupon taking the permission of the lord of
wealth, those (RakshasasJ renouncing anger, went to that foremost of
the Kurus, and in that lotus-lake beheld Bhima alone, disporting in
delight."
SECTION CLIV
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Then, O best of the Bharatas, Bhima began
to collect those rare unearthly, variegated and fresh flowers in abun-
dance.
"And it came to pass that a high and violent wind, piercing to the
touch, and blowing about gravels, arose, portending battle. And fright-
ful meteors began to shoot, with thundering sounds. And being en-
veloped by darkness, the sun became pale, his rays being obscured. And
on Bhima displaying his prowess, dreadful sounds of explosion rang
through the sky. And the earth began to tremble, and dust fell in
showers. And the points of the heavens became reddened. And beasts
and birds began to cry in shrill tones. And every thing became envelop-
ed in darkness ; and nothing could be distinguished. And other ev il
omens besides these appeared there. Witnessing these strange pheno-
mena, Dharma's son Yudhishithira, the foremost of speakers, said,
'Who is it that will overcome us ? Ye Panda v as who take delight in
battle, good betide you ! Do ye equip yourselves. From what I see, I
infer that the time for the display of our prowess hath drawn nigh.'
Having said this, the king looked around. Then not finding Bhima, that
represser of foes, Dharma's son, Yudhishthira, enquired of Krishna
and the twins standing near regarding his brother, Bhima, the doer of
dreadful deeds in battle, saying, 1O Panchali, is Bhima intent upon
performing some great feat, or hath that one delighting in daring deeds
already achieved some brave deed ? Portending some great danger,
these omens have appeared all around, indicating a fearful battle.'
When Yudhishthira said this, his beloved queen, the high-minded
Krishna of sweet smiles, answered him, in order to remove his anxiety,
'O king, that Saugandhika lotus which to-day had been brought by
the wkuL-I had out of love duly shown unto Bhimasena ; and I had also
said unto that hero, If thou canst find many of this species, procuring
even all of them, do thou return speedily, — O Pandava, that mighty-
armed one, with the v iew of gratifying my desire, may ha v e gone to-
wards the north-east to bring them.' Having heard these words of hers,
the king said unto twins, 'Let us together follow the path taken by
Vrikodara. Let the Rakshasas carry those Brahmanas that are fatigued
and weak. O Ghatotkacha, O thou like unto a celestial, do thou carry
Krishna. I am convinced and it is plain that Bhima hath dived into
VANA PARVA 327
the forest ; for it is long since he hath gone, and in speed he resembleth
the wind, and in clearing over the ground, he is swift like unto Vinata's
son, and he will ever leap into the sky, and alight at his will. O Rak-
shasas, we shall follow him through your prowess. He will not at first do
any wrong to the^Siddhas versed in the Vedas. O best of the Bharatas,
saying, 'So be it,1 Hidimva's son and the other Rakshasas who knew
the quarter where the lotus lake of Kuvera was situated, started cheer-
fully with Lomasa, bearing the Pandavas, and many of the Brahmanas.
Having shortly reached that spot, they saw that romantic lake covered
with Saugandhika and other lotuses and surrounded by beautiful woods.
And on its shores they beheld the high-souled and vehement Bhima, as
also the slaughtered Yakshas of large eyes, with their bodies, eyes, arms
and thighs smashed, and their heads crushed. And on seeing tri3 high-
souled Bhima, standing on the shore of that lake in an angry mood, and
with steadfast eyes, and biting his lip, and stationed on the shore of the
lake with his mace upraised by his two hands, like unto Yama with his
mace in his hand at the time of the universal dissolution, Yudhishthira
the just, embraced him again and again, and said in sweet words, 'O
Kaunteya, what hast thou done ? Good betide thee ! If thou wishest
to do good unto me, ^thou shouldst never again commit such a rash act,
nor offend the gods.' Having thus instructed the son of Kunti, and
taken the flowers, those god-like ones began to sport in that very
lake. At this instant, the huge-bodied warders of the gardens, equipped
with rocks for weapons, presented themselves at the spot. And seeing
Yudhishthira the just and the great sage Lomasa and Nakula and Saha-
deva and also the other foremost of Brahmanas, they all bowed them-
selves down in humility. And being pacified by Yudhishthira the just,
the Rakshasas became satisfied. And with the knowledge of Kuvera,
those foremost of Kurus for a short time dwelt pleasantly at that spot
on the slopes of the Gandhamadana, expecting Arjuna."
SECTION CLV
(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Once upon a time Yudhishthira, while living
at that place, addressed Krishna, his brother, and the Brahmanas, say-
ing,'By us have been attentively seen one after another sacred and
auspicious tirthas, and woods, delightful to beheld, which had ere this
been visited by the celestials and the high-souled sages, and which had
been worshipped by the Brahmanas. And in various sacred asylums we
have performed ablutions with Brahmanas, and have heard from them
the lives and acts of many sages, and also of many royal sages of yore,
and other pleasant stories. And with flowers and water have the gods
been worshipped by us. And with offerings of fruits and roots as avail-
able at each place we have gratified the pitris. And with the high-souled
ones have we performed ablutions in all sacred and beautiful mountains
and lakes, and also in the highly sacred ocean. And with the Brahmanas
we have bathed in the lla, and in the Saraswati, and in the Sindhu, and
in the Yamuna, and in the Narmada, and in various other romantic
tirthas. And having passed the source of the Ganga, we have seen many
a lovely hill and the Himalaya mountains, inhabited by various species
of birds, and also the jujube named Visala, where there is the hermitage
of Nara and Narayana. And (finally) we have beheld this unearthly lake,
328 MAHABHAKATA
held in veneration by the Siddhas, the gods and the sages. In fact, O
foremost of Brahmanas, we have one by one carefully seen all celebrated
and sacred spots in company with the high-souled Lomasa. Now, O
Bhima, how shall we repair to the sacred abode of Vaisravana, inhabited
by the Siddhas ? Do thou think of the means of entering (the same).' "
Vaisampayana said, "When that king had said this, an aerial
voice spake, saying, 'Thou will not be able to go to that inaccessible
spot. By this very way, do thou repair from this region of Kuvera to
the place whence thou hadst come — even to the hermitage of Nara and
Narayana, known by the name of Vadari. Thence, O Kaunteya, thou
wilt repair to the hermitage of Vrishaparva, abounding in flowers and
fruit, and inhabited by the Siddhas and the Charanas. Having passed
that, O Partha, thou wilt proceed to the hermitage of Arshtisena, and
from thence thou wilt behold the abode of Kuvera.' Just at that
moment the breeze became fresh, and gladsome and cool and redolent
of unearthly fragrance ; and it showered blossoms. And on hearing the
celestial voice from the sky, they all were amazed, — more specially those
earthly rishis and the Brahmanas. On hearing this mighty marvel, the
Brahmana Dhaumya, said, 'This should not be gainsaid O Bharata, let
this be so.' Thereupon, king Yudhishthira obeyed him. And having
returned to the hermitage of Nara and Narayana, he began to dwell
pleasantly, surrounded by Bhimasena and his other brothers, Panchali
and the Brahmanas."
SECTION CLVI
(Jatasum-badha Parva)
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus dwelling with the Brahmanas
in that best of mountains, in expectation of Arjuna's return, when the
Pandavas had grown confident and when all those Rakshasas together
with Bhima's son had departed, one day while Bhimasena was away, a
Rakshasa all of a sudden carried off Yudhishthira the just and the twins
and Krishna. That Rakshasa (in the guise of a Brahmana) had cons-
tantly remained in the company of the Pandavas, alleging that he was
a high-class Brahmana, skilled in counsel., and versed in all the Sastras.
His object was to possess himself of the bows, the quivers and the other
material implements belonging to the Pandavas; and he had been
watching for an opportunity of ravishing Draupadi. And that wicked
and sinful one was named Jatasura. And, O king of kings, Pandu's son
(Yudhishthira) had been supporting him, but knew not that wretch like
unto a fire covered with ashes.
"And once on a day while that represser of foes, Bhimasena, was
out a-hunting, he (the Rakshasa), seeing Ghatotkacha and his followers
scatter in different directions and seeing those vow-observing great
rishis, oi: ascetic wealth, viz., Lomasa and the rest, away for bathing
and collecting flowers, assumed a different form, gigantic and monstrous
and frightful ; and having secured all the arms ( of the Pandavas)
as also Draupadi, that wicked one fled away taking the three Pandavas.
Thereupon that son of Pandu, Sahadeva, extricated himself with
exertion, and by force snatched the sword named Kausika from the
grasp of the enemy and began to call Bhimasena, taking the direction
in which that mighty one had gone. And on being carried off Yudhish-
VANA PAEVA 32»
thira the just, addressed him (that Rakshasa), saying, 'O stupid one, thy
merit decreaseth (ev en by this act of thine). Dost thou not pay heed
unto the established order of nature ? Whether belonging to the human
race, or to the lower orders, all pay regard to virtue, — more specially
the Rakshasas. In the first instance, they knew virtue better than
others. Having considered all these, thou ought to adhere to virtue.
0 Rakshasa, the gods, the pitris, the Siddhas, the rishis, the Gandharvas,
the brutes and even the worms and ants depend for their lives on men ;
and thou too liveth through that agency. If prosperity attendeth the
human race, thy race also prospereth ; and if calamities befall the
former, even the celestials suffer grief. Being gratified by offerings, do
the gods thrive. O Rakshasa, we are the guardians, governors and
preceptors of kingdoms. If kingdoms become unprotected, whence can
proceed prosperity and happiness ? Unless there be offence, a Rakshasa
should not violate a king, O man-eating one, we have committed no
wrong, ever so little. Living on vighasa, we serve the gods and others
to the best of our power. And we are never intent upon bowing down
to our superiors and Brahmanas. A friend, and one confinding, and he
whose food hath been partaken of, and he that hath afforded shelter,
should never be injured. Thou hast lived in our place happily, being
duly honoured. And, O evil-minded one, having partaken of our food,
how canst thou carry us off ? And as thy acts are so improper and as
thou hast grown in age without deriving any benefit and as thy propen-
sities are evil, so thou deservest to die for nothing, and for nothing wilt
thou die to-day. And if thou beest really evil-disposed and devoid of
all virtue, do thou render us back our weapons and ravish Draupadi
after fight. But if through stupidity thou must do this deed, then in
the world thou wilt only reap demerit and infamy. O Rakshasa, by
doing violence to this female of the human race, thou hast drunk poison,
after having shaken the vessel.' Thereupon, Yudhishthira made him-
self ponderous to the Rakshasa. And being oppressed with the weight,
he could not proceed rapidly as before. Then addressing Draupadi,
Nakula and Sahadeva, Yudhishthira said, 'Do ye not entertain any fear
of this wretched Rakshasa. I have checked his speed. The mighty-
armed son of the Wind-god may not be far away ; and on Bhima coming
up at the next moment, the Rakshasa will not live.' O king, staring at
the Rakshasa bereft of sense, Sahadeva addressed Yudhishthira, the
son of Kunti, saying, 'What can be more meritorious for a Kshatriya
than to fall in fight, or defeat a foe ? O represser of foes, we will fight
and either this one will slay us, or we shall slay him, O mighty-armed
one. Verily this is the place and time, O king. And, O thou of
Unfailing prowess, the time hath come for the di;play of pur Kshatriya
virtu 2. it behoveth us to attain heaven either by gaining victory or
being slain. If the sun sets to-day, the Rakshasa living yet, O bharata,
1 will not any more say that I am a Kshatriya. Ho ! Ho ! Rakshasa,
say ! I arn Pandu's son, Sahadeva. Either, after having killed me,
carry off this lady, or being slain, lie senseless here.'
"Madri's son, Sahadeva, was speaking thus, when Bhimasena made
his appear ince, with a mace in his hand, like unto Vasava himself
wielding the thunder-bolt. And here he saw his two brothers and the
noble-minded Draupadi (on the shoulders of the demon), and Sahadeva
on the ground rebuking the Rakshasa and also that stupid Rakshasa
himself deprived of sense by Fate, going round in different directions
through bewilderment caused by Destiny. And finding his brothers
and Draupadi being carried off, Bhima of mighty strength was fired with
n
*
MAHABHAEATA
wrath, and addressed the Rakshasa, saying, 4I had ere this found thed
out for a wicked wijht trom thy scrutiny of our weapons ; but as I had
no apprehension ot thee, so I had not slain thee at that time. Thou
wert in the disguise of a Brahmana — nor didst thou say anything harsh
unto us. And thou didst take delight in pleasing us. And thou also
didst not do us wrong. And, furthermore, thou wert our guest. How
could I, therefore, slay thee, who wert thus innocent of offence, and who
wert in the disguise of a Brahmana ? He that knowing such a one to be
even a Rakshasa, slayeth him, goes to hell. Further, thou canst not
be killed before the time cometh. Surely to-day thou hast reached the
fullness of thy time, in as much as thy mind hath been thus turned by
the wonder-per terming Fate towards carrying off Krishna. By
committing thyself to this deed, thou hast swallowed up the hook fasten-
ed to the line of Fate. So like unto a fish in water, whose mouth hath
been hooked, how canst thou live to-day ? Thou shalt not have to gc
whither thou intendest to, or whither thou hadst already gone men-
tally ; but thou shalt go whither have repaired Vaka and Hidimva.'
"Thus addressed by Bhima, the Rakshasa in alarm put them down
and being forced by Fate, approached for fight. And with his lips trer
bling in anger he spake unto bhima, saying, 'Wretch ! I have not be<
bewildered ; J had been delaying tor thee. To-day will I offer oblatioi
of thy blood to those Rakshasas who, 1 had heard, have been slain
thee in tight.' Thus addressed, Bhima, as if bursting with wrath, HI
unto Yama himselt at the time of the universal dissolution, rushed t
wards the Rakshasa, licking the corners of his mouth and staring at hi
as he struck his own arms with the hands. And seeing Bhima waiting in
expectation ot fight, the Rakshasa also darted towards him in anger, like
unto Vali towards the wieider of the thunderbolt, repeatedly gaping
and licking the corners of his mouth. And when a dreadful wrestling
ensued between those two, both the sons of Madri, waxing exceeding
wroth rushed torward ; but kunti's son, Vrikodara, forbade them with
a smile and said, 'Witness ye! i am more than a match for this Rakshasa.
By my own selt arid by my brothers, and by my merit, and by my good
deeds, and by my sacrifaces, do i swear that I shall slay this Rakshasa.'
And atter this was said, those two heroes, the Rakshasa and Vrikodara
challenging each other, caught each other by the arms. And they not
torgiv ing each other, then there ensued a contlict between the infuriated
bhima and the KaKshasa, like unto that between a god and a demon.
And repeatedly uprooting trees, those two of mighty strength struck
each other, shouting and roaring like two masses ol clouds. And those
foremost or athietes, each wishing to kill the other, and rushing at the
other with vehemence, broke down many a gigantic tree by their thighs.
Thus that encounter with trees, destructive ot plants, went on like
unto that between the two brothers Vaii and Sugriva — desirous of the
possession 01 a single woman, brandishing trees tor a moment, they
struCK each other with them, shouting incessantly. And when all the
trees or tae spot nai been puiled down and crushed into fibres by them
endeavouring to kill each other, then, U Bharata, those two of mighty
strength, taking up roc^s, began to fight tor a while, like unto a
mountain and a mighty mass or clouds. And not sudering each other,
they leii to striding each orher witn hard and large crags, resembling
vehement thunder -ooits. Then trom strength detying each other, they
again darted at each other, and grasping each other by their arms, began
t3 wrestie iiKe unto two elephants. And next they dealt each other
fierce blows. Ana then those two mighty ones began to make chattering
VANA PAKVA 331
sounds by gnashing their teeth. And at length, having clenched his fist
like a five-headed snake, Bhima with force dealt a blow on the neck of
the Rakshasa. And when struck by thit frt of Bhima. th* Rikshisa
became faint, Bhimasena stood, catching hold of thit exhausted one.
And then the god-like mighty-armed Bhima litted him with his two
arms, and dashing him with force on the ground, the son of Pandu
smashed all his limbs. And striking him with his elbow, h? severed
from his body the head with bitten lips and rolling eyes, like unto a
fruit from its stem. And Jatasura's head being severed by Bhimasena' s
might, he fell besmeared with gore, and having bitten lips. Having
slain Jatasura, Bhima presented himself before Yudhishthira , and the
foremost Brahmanas began to eulogise him (Bhima) even as the Marutas
(eulogise) Vasava."
SECTION CLVII
(Yaksha-yuddlia Parva)
Vaisampayana continued, "On that Rakshasa having been slain,
that lord, the royal son of Kunri, returned to the hermitage of Narayana
and began to dwell there. And once on a time, remembering his
brother Jaya (Arjuna), Yudhishthira summoned all his brothers, together
with Draupadi and said these words, 'We have passed thece four years
peacefully ranging the woods. It hath been appointed by Vibhatsu that
about the fifth year he will come to that monarch of mountains, the
excellent cliff Sweta, ever graced with festivities held by blooming
plants and maddened Kokilas and black bees, and peacocks, and chatakas
and inhabited by tigers, and boars, and buffaloes, and gavayas, and
deer, and ferocious beists ; and sacred ; and lovely with blorvn lotuses
of a hundred and a thousand petals, and blooming lilies and blue lilies
and frequented by the celestials and the Asuras. And we also, eagerly
anxious of meeting him on his arrival have made up our minds to repair
thither. Partha of unrivalled prowess hath appointed with me, saying,
1 shall remain ^ abroad for five years, with the object of learning
military science.1 In the place like unto the region of the gods, shall
we behold the wielder of Gandiv a, arrive after having obtained the
weapons.' Having said this, the Pandava summoned the Brahmanas,
and the sons of Pritha having gone round the ascetics of rigid austerities
and thereby pleased them, informed them of the matter mentioned
above. Thereupon the Brahmanas gave their assent, saying, This
shall be attended by prosperity and welfare. O foremost of the
Bharatas, these troubles shall result in happiness. O pious one. gaining
the earth by the Kshatriya virtue, thou shalt govern ir.' Then in obe-
dience to these words of the ascetics, that repre^sor of foes, Yudhishthira,
set out with his brothers and those Brahmanas, followed by the Rakshasa
and protected by Lomasa. And that one of mighty energy, and of
staunch vows, with his brothers, at places went on foot and at others
were carried by the Rakshasas. Then king Yudhishthira, apprehending
many troubles, proceeded towards the north abounding in lion-- and
tigers and elephants. And beholding on the way the mountain Mainaka
and the base of the Gandhamadana and that rocky mass Sweta and
many a crystal rivulet higher and higher up the mountain, he reached
on the seventeenth day the sacred slopes of the Himalayas. And, O
king, not far from the Gandhamadana, Pandu s son beheld on the sacred
slopes of the Himavan covered with various trees and creepers the holy
hermitage of Vrishaparva surrounded by blossoming trees growing neir
the cascades. And when those repressers of foes, the sons of Pandu, had
332 MAHABHAEATA
recovered from fatigue, they went to the royal sage, the pious Vrisha-
parva and greeted him. And that royal sage received with affection
those foremost of Bharatas, even as his own sons. And those repressers
of foes passed there seven nights, duly regarded. And when the eighth
day came, taking the permission of that sage celebrated over the worlds,
they prepared to start on their journey. And having one by one
introduced unto Vrishaparva those Brahma nas, who, duly honoured,
remained in his charge as friends ; and having also entrusted the high-
souled Vrishaparva with their remaining robas, the sons of Pandu, O
king, left in the hermitage of Vrishaparva their sacrificial vessels
together with their ornaments and jewels. And wise and pious and
versed in every duty and having a knowledge of the past as well as the
future, that one gav e instructions unto those best of the Bharatas, as
unto his own sons. Then taking his permission those high-souled ones
set out towards the north. And as they set out the magnanimous
Vrishaparva followed them to a certain distance. Then having entrust-
ed the Pandavas unto the care of the Brahmanas and instructed and
blessed them and given directions concerning their course, Vrishaparva
of mighty energy retraced his steps.
"Then Kunti's son, Yudhishthira of unfailing prowess, together
with his brothers, began to proceed on foot along the mountain path,
inhabited by various kinds of beasts. And having dwelt at the moun-
tain slopes, densely overgrown with trees, Pandu' s son -on the fourth
day reached the Sweta mountain, like unto a mighty mass of clouds,
abounding in streams and consisting of a mass of gold and gems. And
taking the way directed by Vrishaparva, they reached one by one the
intended places, beholding various mountains. And over and over
they passed with ease many inaccessible rocks and exeedingly impass-
able caves of the mountain. AndDhaumya and Krishna and theParthas
and the mighty sage Lomasa went on in a body and none grew tired.
And those highly fortunate ones arrived at the sacred and mighty
mountain resounding with the cries of birds and beasts and covered
with various trees and creepers and inhabited by monkeys, and romantic
and furnished with many lotus-lakes and having marshes and extensive
forests. And then with their down standing erect, they saw the moun-
tain Gandhamadana, the abode of Kimpurushas, frequented by
Siddhas and Charanas and ranged by Vidyadharis and Kinnaris anc
inhabited by herds of elephahts and thronged with lions and tigers anc
resounding with the roars of Sarabhas and attended by various beast
And the war-like sons of Pandu gradually entered into the forest of the
Gandhamadana, like unto the Nandana gardens, delightful to the mind
and heart and worthy of being inhabited and having beautiful groves.
And as those heroes entered with Draupadi and the high-souled
VANA PAEVA 323
Brahmanas, they heard notes uttered by the mouths of birds, exceed-
ingly sweet and graceful to the ear and causing delight and dulcet and
broken by reason of excess of animal spirits. And they saw various
trees bending under the weight of fruits in all seasons, and ever bright
with flowers — such as mangoes and hog-plums and bhavyas and
pomegranates, citrons and jacks and lakuchas and plantains and aquatic
reeds and par vatas and champakas and lovely kadamvas and vilwas,
wood-apples and rose-apples and kasmaris and jujubes and figs and
glomerous figs and banians and aswa tthas and khirikas and bhall atakas
and amlakas and bibhitakas and ingudas and karamardas and tindukas
of large fruits — these and many others on the slopes of the Gandha-
madana, clustered with sweet and nectarine fruits. And besiied these,
they beheld champakas and asokas and ketakas and vakulas and punna-
gas and saptaparnas and karnikaras, and patals, and beautiful kutajas
and mandaras, and lotuses, and parijatas, and kovidaras, and devadarus,
and salas, and palmyra palms, and tamalas, and pippalas, and salmalis
and kinsukas, and singsapas, and saralas and these were inhabited by
Chakoras, and wood-peckers and chatakas, and various other birds,
singing in sweet tones pleasing to the ear. And they saw lakes beauti-
ful on all sides with aquatic birds, and covered all around with
kumudas, and pundarikas, and kokanadas, and utpalas, and kalharas,
and kamalas and thronged on all sides with drakes and ruddy geese,
and ospreys, and gulls and karandavas, and plavas, and swans, and
cranes, and shags, and other acquatic birds. And those foremost of
men saw those lotus-lakes beautified with assemblages of lotuses, and
ringing with the sweet hum of bees, glad, and drowsy on account of
having drunk the intoxicating honey of lotuses, and reddened with the
farina falling from the lotuscups. And in the groves they beheld with
their hens peacocks maddened with desire caused by the notes of cloud-
trumpets ; and those wood-loving glad peacocks drowsy with desire, were
dancing, spreading in dalliance their gorgeous tails, and were crying in
melodious notes. And some of the peacocks were sporting with their
mates on kutaja trees covered with creepers. And some sat on the
boughs of the kutajas, spreading their gorgeous tails, and looking like
crowns worn by the trees. And in the glades they beheld the graceful
sindhuv aras like unto the darts of Cupid. And on the summits of the
mountain, they saw blooming karnikaras bearing blossoms of a golden
hue, appearing like ear-rings of excellent make. And in the forest they
saw blossoming kuruvakas, like unto the shafts of Cupid, which smiteth
one with desire and maketh him uneasy. And they saw tilakas appearing
like unto beauty-spots painted on the forehead of the forest. And they
saw mango trees graced with blossoms hummed over by black bees, and
serving the purpose of Cupid's shafts. And on the slopes of the moun-
334 MAHABHAEATA
tain there were diverse blossoming trees, looking lovely, some bearing
flowers of a golden hue, and some, of the hue of the forest-conflagration,
and some, red, and some sable, and some green like unto lapises. And be-
sides these, there were ranges of salas and tamalas and patalas and vakula
trees, like unto garlands put on by the summits of mountain. Thus
gradually beholding on the slopes of the mountain many lakes, looking
transparent like crystal, and having swans of white plumage and
resounding with cries of cranes, and filled with lotuses and lilies, and
furnished with waters of delicious feel ; and also beholding fragrant
flowers, and luscious fruits, and romantic lakes, and captivating trees,
the Pandavas penetrated into the forest with eyes expanded with
wonder. And (as they proceeded) they were fanned by the breeze of
balmy feel, and perfumed by kamalas and utpalas and kalharas and
pundarikas. Then Yudhishthira pleasantly spake unto Bhima saying,
*Ah ! O Bhima, beautiful is this forest of the Gandhamadana. In this
romantic forest there are various heavenly blossoming wild trees and
creepers, bedecked with foliage and fruit, nor are there any trees that
do not flower. On these slopes of the Gandhamadana, all the trees are
of sleek foliage and fruit. And behold how these lotus- lakes with full-
blown lotuses, and ringing with the hum of black bees, are being agi-
tated by elephants with their mates. Behold another lotus-lake girt with
lines of lotuses, like unto a second Sree in an embodied form wearing
garlands. And in this excellent forest there are beautiful ranges of woods,
rich with the aroma of various blossoms, and hummed over by the
black bees. And, O Bhima, behold on all sides the excellent sporting
ground of the celestials. By coming here, we have attained extra-human
state, and been blessed. O Partha, on these slopes of the Gandhamadana,
yon beautiful blossoming trees, being embraced by creepers with
blossoms at their tops,£look lovely. And, O Bhima, hark unto the notes
of the peacocks crying with their hens on the mountain slopes. And
birds such as chakoras, and satapatras, and maddened kokilas, and par-
rots, are alighting on these excellent flowering trees. And sitting on the
twigs, myriads of jivajivakas of scarlet, yellow and red hues, are looking
at one another. And the cranes are seen near the spots covered with
green and reddish grass, and also by the side of the cascades. And those
birds, bhringarajas, and upachakras, and herons are pouring forth their
notes:charming to all creatures. And. lo ! with their mates, these ele-
phants furnished with four tusks, and white as lotuses, are agitating that
large lake of the hue of lapises. And from many cascades, torrents high
as several palmyra palms- (placed one upon another) are rushing down
from the cliffs. And many argent minerals splendid, 'and of the efful-
gence of the sun, and like unto autumnal clouds, are beautifying this
mighty mountain. And in some places there are minerals of the hue of
VANA PABVA 335
the collyrium, and in some those like unto gold, in some, yellow orpi-
ment and in some, vermilion, and in some, caves of red arsenic like unto
the evening clouds, and in some, red chalk of the hue of the rabit, and
in some, minerals like unto white and sable clouds ; and in some, those
effulgent as the rising sun, these minerals of great lustre beautify the
mountain. O Partha, as was said by Vrishaparva, the Gandharvas
and the Kimpurushas, in company with their loves, are visible on the
summits of the mountain. And, O Bhima, there are heard various songs
of appropriate measures, and also Vedic hymns, charming to all crea-
tures. Do thou behold the sacred and graceful celestial river Mahaganga,
with swans, resorted to by sages and Kinnaras. And, O represser of
foes, see this mountain having minerals, rivulets, and beautiful woods
and beasts, and snakes of diverse shapes and a hundred heads and
Kinnaras, Gandharvas and Apsaras.' "
Vaisampayana said, "Having attained excellent state, those valiant
and warlike repressers of foes with Draupadi and the high-souled
Brahmanas were exceedingly delighted at heart, and they were not
satiated by beholding that monarch of mountains. Thereafter they
saw the hermitage of the royal sage Arshtishena, furnished with flowers,
and trees bearing fruits. Then they went to Arshtishena versed in all
duties of rigid austerities, skeleton-like, and having muscles bare."
SECTION CLVIII
(Yaksha-yudhha Farva continued)
Vaisampayana continued, "Having approached that one, whose
sins had been consumed by asceticism, Yudhishthira announced his name,
and gladly greeted him, bending his head. And then Krishna, and Bhima,
and the devout twins, having bowed down their heads unto the royal
sage, stood (there) surrounding him. And that priest of the Pandavas,
the virtuous Dhaumya, also duly approached that vow-observing sage.
And by his prophetic eye that virtuous Muni had already known (the
identity of) those foremost of the Kurus, the sons of Pandu. And he said
unto them, 'Be ye seated.' And that one of rigid austerities, after having
duly received that chief of the Kurus, when the latter with his brothers
had seated himself enquired after his welfare saying, 'Dost thou not turn
thy inclination uoon untruth ? And art thou intent upon virtue ? And,
O Partha, hath not thy attention to thy father and thy mother dimi-
nished ? Are all thy superiors, and the aged, and those versed in the
Vedas, honoured by thee ? And O Pritha's son, dost thou not turn thy
inclination unto sinful acts ? And dost thou, O best of the Kurus, pro-
perly know how to perform meritorious acts, and to eschew wicked
deeds ? Dost thou not exalt thyself ? And are pious men gratified,
being honoured by thee ? And even dwelling in the woods, dost thou
336 MAHABHABATA
follow virtue alone ? And, O Partha, doth not Dhaumya grieve at thy
conduct ? Dost thou follow the customs of thy ancestors, by charity,
and religious observances, and asceticism, and purity, and candour, and
forgiveness ? And dost thou go along the way taken by the royal sages?
On the birth of a son in their (respective) lines, the Pitris in their regi-
ons, both laugh and grieve, thinking — Will the sinful acts of this son of
ours harm us, or will meritorious deeds conduce to our welfare ? He
conquer eth both the worlds that payeth homage unto his father, and
mother, and preceptor, and Agni, and fifthly, the soul/ Yudhishthira
said, 4O worshipful one, those duties have been mentioned by thee as
excellent. To the best of my power I duly and properly discharge them/
"Arshtishena said, 'During the Par v as sages subsisting on air and
water come unto this best of the mountains ranging through the air.
And on the summits of the mountain are seen amorous Kimpurushas
with their paramours, mutually attached unto each other ; as also, O
Partha, many Gandharvas and Apsaras clad in white silk vestments ;
and lov ely-looking Vidyadharas, wearing garlands ; and mighty Nagas,
and Suparnas, and Uragas, and others. And on the summits of the
mountain are heard, during the Parvas, sounds of kettle-drums, and
tabors, shells and mridangas. O foremost of the Bharatas, even by
staying here, ye shall hear those sounds ; do ye by no means feel inclined
to repair thither. Further, O best of the Bharata race, it is impossible,
to proceed beyond this. That place is the sporting-region of the celes-
tials. There is no access thither for mortals. O Bharata, at this place
all creatures bear ill-will to, and the Rakshasas chastise, that man who
committeth aggression, be it ever so little. Beyond the summit of this
Kailasa cliff, is seen the path of the celestial sages. If any one through
impudence goeth beyond this, the Rakshasas slay him with iron darts
and other weapons. There, O child, during the Parvas, he that goeth
about on the shoulders of men, even Vaisravana is seen in pomp and
grandeur surrounded by the Apsaras. And when that lord of all the
Rakshasas is seated on the summit, all creatures behold him like unto
the sun arisen. O best of Bharatas, that summit is the sporting-garden
of the celestials, and the Danavas, and the Siddhas, and Vaisravana.
And during the Parvas, as Tumburu enter taineth the Lord of treasures,
the sweet notes of his song are heard all over the Gandhamadana. O
child, O Yudhishthira, here during the Parvas, all creatures see and hear
marvels like this. O Pandavas, till ye meet with Arjuna, do ye stay
here, partaking of luscious fruits, and the food of the Munis. O child as
thou hast come hither, do thou not betray any impertinence. And, O
child, after living here at thy will and diverting thyself as thou listest,
thou wilt at length rule the earth, having conquered it by the force of
thy arms.' "
SECTION CLIX
(Yaksha-yuddha Parva continued)
Janamejaya said, "How long did my great grandsires, the high-
souled sons of Pandu of matchless prowess, dwell in the Gandhamadana
mountain ? And what did those exceedingly powerful ones, gifted
with manliness, do ? And what was the food of those high-souled ones,
when those heroes of the worlds dwelt (there) ? O excellent one, do
thou relate all about this. Do thou describe the prowess of Bhimasena,
and what that mighty-armed one did in the mountain Himalayan.
Surely, O best of Brahmanas, he did not fight again with the Yakshas.
And did they meet with Vaisravana ? Surely, as Arshtishena said, the
lord of wealth cometh thither. All this, O thou of ascetic wealth, I
desire to hear in detail. Surely, I have not yet been fully satisfied by
hearing about their acts."
Vaisampayana continued, "Hav ing heard from that one of incom-
parable energy, (Arshtishena), that advice conducive to their welfare,
those foremost of the Bharatas began to behave always accordingly.
Those best of men, the Panda v as, dwelt upon the Himavan, partaking
of the food eaten by the Munis, and luscious fruit, and the flesh of deer
killed with unpoisoned shafts and various kinds of pure honey. Living
thus, they passed the fifth year, hearing to various stories told by
Lomasa. O lord, saying, 1 shall be present when occasion ariseth,'
Ghatotkacha, together with all the Rakshasas, had ere this already
gone away. Those magnanimous ones passed many months in the her-
mitage of Arshtishent, witnessing many marvels. And as the Panda v as
were sporting there pleasantly, there came to see them some compla-
cent vow-observing Munis and Charanas of high fortune, and pure
souls, And those foremost of the Bharata race conversed with them
on earthly topics. And it came to pass that when several days has
passed, Suparna all of a sudden carried off an exceedingly powerful and
mighty Naga, living in the large lake. And thereupon that mighty
mountain began to tremble, and the gigantic trees, break. And all the
creatures and the Panda v as witnessed the wonder. Then from the
brow of that excellent mountain, the wind brought before the Panda-
vas various fragrant and fair blossoms. And the Panda v as, and the
illustrious Krishna, together with their friends, saw those unearthly
blossoms of five hues. And as the mighty-armed Bhimasena was seated
at ease upon the mountain, Krishna addressed him, saying, *O best of
the Bharata race, in the presence of all the creatures, these flowers of
five hues, carried by the force of the wind raised by Suparna, are falling
in amain on the river Aswaratha. In Khandava thy high-souled
brother, firm in promise, had baffled Gandharvas andNagasand Vasava
himself, and slain fierce Rakshasas, and also obtained the bow Gandiva,
338 MAHABHAEATA
Thou also art of exceeding prowess and the might of thy arms is great,
and irrepressible, and unbearable like unto the might of Sakra.
O Bhimasena, terrified with the force of thy arms, let all the Rakshasas
betake themselves to the ten cardinal points, leaving the mountain.
Then will thy friends be freed from fear and affliction, and behold
the auspicious summit of this excellent mountain furnished with
variegated flowers. O Bhima, I have for long cherished this thought
in my mind, — that protected by the might of thy arms, I shall see that
summit.'
"Thereupon, like a high-mettled bull that hath been struck, Bhima-
sena, considering himself as censured by Draupadi, could not bear (that).
And that Panda v a of the gait of a lion or a bull, and graceful, and gene-
rous, and having the splendour of gold, and intelligent, and strong, and
proud, and sensitive, and heroic, and having red eyes, and broad
shoulders, and gifted with the strength of mad elephants, and having
leonine teeth and a broad neck, and tall like a young sala tree, and high-
souled, and graceful in every limb, and of neck having the whorls of a
shell and mighty-armed, took up his bow plaited at the back with gold,
and also his sword. And haughty like unto a lion, and resembling a
maddened elephant, that strong one rushed towards that cliff, free from
fear or affliction. And all the creatures saw him equipped with bows
and arrows, approaching like a lion or a maddened elephant. And free
from fear or affliction, the Pandava taking his mace, proceeded to that
monarch of mountains causing the delight of Draupadi. And neither
exhaustion, nor fatigue, nor lassitude, nor the malice (of others), affected
that son of Pritha and the Wind-god. And having arrived at a rugged
path affording passage to one indiv idual only, that one of great strength
ascended that terrible summit high as several palmyra palms (placed
one upon another). And having ascended that summit, and thereby
gladdened Kinnaras, and great Nagas, and Munis, and Gandharvas, and
Rakshasas, that foremost of the Bharata line, gifted with exceeding
strength described the abode of Vaisravana, adorned with golden crystal
palaces surrounded on all sides by golden walls having the splendour of
all gems, furnished with gardens all around, higher than a mountain peak,
beautiful with ramparts and towers, and adorned with door-ways and
gates and rows of pennons. And the abode was graced with dallying
damsels dancing around, and also with pennons waved by the breeze.
And with bent arms, supporting himself on the end of his bow, he stood
beholding with eagerness the city of the lord of treasures. And glad-
dening all creatures, there was blowing a breeze, carrying all perfumes,
and of a balmy feel. And there were various beautiful and wonderful trees
of diverse hues, resounding with diverse dulcet notes. And at that place
the foremost of the Bharatas surveyed the palace of the Lord of the
VANA PARVA 339
Rakshasas scattered with heaps of gems, and adorned with variegated
garlands. And renouncing all care of life the mighty-armed Bhimasena
stood motionless like a rock, with his mace and sword and bow in his
hands. Then he blew his shell, making the down of his adversaries stand
erect ; and twanging his bow-string, and striking his arms with the hands
he unnerved all the creatures. Thereat with their hairs standing erect,
the Yakshas and Rakshasas began to rush towards the Pandavas, in the
direction of those sounds. And taken by the arms of the Yakshas and
Rakshasas the flamed maces and clubs and swords and spears and
javelins and axes, and when, O Bharata, the fight ensued between the
Rakshasas and Bhima, the latter by arrows cut off the darts, javelins and
axes of those possessing great powers of illusion, and he of exceeding
strength with arrows pierced the bodies of the roaring Rakshasas, both
of those that were in the sky, and of those that remained on the earth.
And Bhima of exceeding strength was deluged with the mighty sanguine
rain sprung from the bodies of the Rakshasas with maces and clubs in
their hands and flowing on all sides from their persons. And the bodies
and hands of the Yakshas and Rakshasas were seen to be struck off by
the weapon discharged by the the might of Bhima' s arms. And then all
the creatures saw the graceful Pandava densely surrounded by the
Rakshasas, like unto the Sun enveloped by clouds. And even as the
Sun surrounds everything with his rays, that mighty-armed and strong
one of unfailing prowess, covered all with arrows destroying foes. And
although menacing and uttering yells, the Rakshasas did net see Bhima
embarrassed. Thereupon, with their bodies mangled, the Yakshas afflict-
ed by fear, Bhimasena began to utter frightful sounds of distress, throw-
ing their mighty weapons. And terrified at the wielder of a strong bow,
they fled towards the southern quarter, forsaking their maces and spears
and swords and clubs and axes. And then there stood, holding in his
hands darts and maces, the broad-chasted and mighty-armed friend of
Vaisravana, the Rakshasa named Maniman. And that one of great
strength began to display his mastery and manliness. And seeing them
forsake the fight, he addressed them with a smile, 'Going to Vaisrav ana's
abode, how will ye say unto that lord of wealth, that numbers have
been defeated by a single mortal in battle ?' Having said this unto them
that Rakshasa, taking in his hands clubs and javelins and maces, set out
and rushed towards the Pandava. And he rushed in amain like a
maddened elephant. Bhimasena pierced his sides with three choice
arrows. And the mighty Maniman, on his part, in wrath taking and
flourishing a tremendous mace hurled it at Bhimasena. Thereupon
Bhimasena beset with inummerable shafts sharpened on stones, hurled
that mighty mace in the sky, dreadful, and like unto the lightning flash.
But on reaching the mace those shafts were baffled ; and although dis-
340 MAHABHAEATA
charged with force by that adept at hurling the mace, still they could
not stay its career. Then the mighty Bhima of dreadful prowess, baffled
his (the Rakshasa's) discharge by resorting to his skill in mace-fighting.
In the meanwhile, the intelligent Rakshasa had discharged a terrible
iron club, furnished with a golden shaft. And that club, belching forth
flames and emitting tremendous roars, all of a sudden pierced Bhima' s
right arm and then fell to the ground. On being severely wounded
that club, that bowman, Kunti's son, of immeasurable prowess, with ey<
rolling in ire, took up his mace. And having taken that iron mace,
inlaid with golden plates, which caused the fear of foes and brought 01
their defeat, he darted it with speed towards the mighty Manimai
menacing (him) and uttering shouts. Then Maniman on his part, takii
his huge and blazing dart, with great force discharged it at Bhimc
uttering loud shouts. Thereat breaking the dart with the end of hii
mace, that mighty-armed one skilled in mace-fighting, speedily rush<
to slay him, as Garuda (rushed) to slay a serpent. Then all of a sudd<
advancing ahead in the field, that mighty -armed one sprang into the sk:
and brandishing his mace, hurled it with shouts. And like unto th<
thunder-bolt hurled by Indra, that mace like a pest, with the speed
the wind destroyed the Rakshasa and then fell to the ground. Then all
the creatures saw that Rakshasa of terrible strength slaughtered
Bhima, even like a bull slain by a lion. And the surviving Rakshasas
seeing him slain on the ground went towards the east, uttering f rightfi
sounds of distress.' "
SECTION CLX
(Yaksha-yuddha Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Hearing various sounds resounding in th<
caves of the mountain and not seeing Bhimasena, Kunti's son, Ajatasatri
and the twin sons of Madri and Dhaumya and Krishna and all th<
Brahmanas and the friends (of the Panda v as), were filled with anxiety.
Thereupon, entrusting Draupadi to the charge of Arshtishena ai
equipped in their arms, those valiant and mighty charioteers togethei
began to ascend the summit of the mountain. And having reached
summit, as those repressers of foes and mighty bowmen and powerful
charioteers they were looking about, saw Bhima and those huge
Rakshasas of mighty strength and courage weltering in a state of uncon-
sciousness having been struck down by Bhima. And holding his mac<
and sword and bow, that mighty-armed one looked like Maghavan, aftei
he had. slain the Danava hosts. Then on seeing their brother, tl
Pandavas, who had attained excellent state, embraced him and sat do>
there. And with those mighty bowmen, that summit looked grand lik<
VANA PABVA 341
heaven graced by those foremost of celestials, the highly fortunate
Lokapalas. And seeing the abode of Kuvera and the Rakshasas, lying
slain on the ground, the king addressed his brother who was seated,
saying, 'Either it be through rashness, or through ignorance, thou hast,
O Bhima, committed a sinful act. O hero, as thou art leading the life
of an anchorite, this slaughter without cause is unlike thee. Acts, it is
asserted by those versed in duties, as are calculated to displease a
monarch, ought not to be committed. But thou hast, O Bhimasena,
committed a deed which will offend even the gods. He that disregard-
ing profit and duty, turneth his thoughts to sin, must, O Partha, reap the
fruit of his sinful actions. However, if thou seekest my good, never
again commit such a deed.' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Having said this to his brother, Vriko-
dara the virtuous, the highly energetic and firm-minded son of Kunti,
Yudhishthira versed in the particulars of (the science of) profit, ceased,
and began to reflect on that matter.
"On the other hand, the Rakshasas that had survived those slain by
Bhima fled in a body towards the abode of Kuvera. And they of exceed-
ing fleetness having speedily reached Vaisrav ana's abode, began to
utter loud cries of distress, being afflicted with the fear of Bhima. And,
O king, bereft of their weapons and exhausted and with their mail
besmeared with gore and with dishevelled hair they spake unto Kuvera,
saying, 'O lord, all thy foremost Rakshasas fighting with maces and
clubs and swords and lances and barbed darts, have been slain. O
lord of treasures, a mortal, trespassing into the mountain, hath, single-
handed, slaughtered all thy Krodhovasa Rakshasas assembled together.
And, O lord of wealth, there lie the foremost of the Yakshas and Rak-
shasas senseless and dead, having been struck down J and we hav e been
let off through his favour. And thy friend, Maniman also hath been
slain. All this hath been done by a mortal. Do thou what is proper,
after this.' Hav ing heard this, that lord of all the Yaksha hosts waxing
wrothi with eyes reddened in anger, exclaimed, 'What V And hearing
of Bhima s second (act of) aggression, that lord of treasures, the king
of the Yakshas, was filled with wrath, and said, 4Yoke' (the horses).
Thereat, unto a car of the hue of dark clouds, and high as a mountain
summit, they yoked steeds having golden garments. And on being
yoked unto the car, those excellent horses of his, graced with every,
noble quality and furnished with the ten auspicious curls of hair and
having energy and strength, and adorned with various gems and looking
splendid, as if desirous of speeding like the wind, began to neigh at each
other the neighing emitted at (the hour of) victory. And that divine
and effulgent king of the Yakshas set out, being eulogised by the celes-
tials and Gandharvas. And a thousand foremost Yakshas of reddened
342 MAHAJ311AWATA
eyes and golden lustre and having huge bodies, and gifted with great
strength, equipped with weapons and girding on their swords, followed
that high-souled lord of treasures. And coursing through the firmament
they (the steeds arrived at the Gandhamadana, as if drawing forward
the sky with their fleetness. And with their down standing erect, the
Pandavas saw that large assemblage of horses maintained by the lord of
wealth and also the high souled and graceful Kuvera himself surrounded
by the Yaksha hosts. And seeing those mighty charioteers the son of
Pandu, possessed of great strength, equipped with bows and swords,
Kuvera also was delighted ; and he was pleased at heart, keeping in
view the task of the celestials. A*id like unto birds, they, (the Yakshas)
gifted with extreme celerity, alighted on the summit of the mountain
and stood before them (the Pandavas), with the lord of treasures at their
head. Then, O Bharata, seeing him pleased with the Pandavas, the
Yakshas and the Gandharvas stood there, free from agitation. Then
thinking themselves as having transgressed, those high-souled and mighty
charioteers, the Pandavas, having bowed down unto that lord, the
giver of wealth, stood surrounding the lord of treasures with joined
hands. And the lord of treasures sat on that excellent seat, the elegant
Pushpaka, constructed by Viswakarma, painted with diverse colours.
And thousands of Yakshas and Rakshasas, some having huge frames
and some ears resembling pegs, and hundreds of Gandharvas and
hosts of Apsaras sat in the presence of that one seated, even as the
celestials sit surrounding him of a hundred sacrifices and wearing a
beautiful golden garland on his head and holding in his hands his noose
and sword and bow, Bhima stood, gazing at the lord of wealth. And
Bhimasena did not feel depress either on having been wounded by the
Rakshasas, or even in that plight seeing Kuvera arrive.
"And that one going about on the shoulders of men, on seeing
Bhima stand desirous of fighting with sharpened shafts, said unto
Dharma's son, 'O Par tha, all the creatures know thee as engaged in
their good. Do thou, therefore, with thy brothers fearlessly dwell on
this summit of the mountain. And, O Pandava, be thou not angry
with Bhima. These Yakshas and Rakshasas had already been slain by
Destiny : thy brother hath been the instrument merely. And it is not
necessary to feel shame for the act of impudence that hath been
committed. This destruction of the Rakshasas had been foreseen by
the gods. I entertain no anger towards Bhimasena. Rather, O foremost
of the Bharata race, I am pleased with him ; nay,— even before coming
here, I had been gratified with this deed of Bhima.' "
Vaisampayana said, "Having spoken thus unto the king, (Kuvera)
said unto Bhimasena, 'O child, O best of the Kurus, I do not mind this,
O Bhima, as in order to please Krishna, thou hast, disregarding the gods
VANA PARVA 343
and me also, committed this rash act, namely, the destruction of the
Yakshas and the Rakshasas, depending on the strength of thy arms, I am
well-pleased with thee. O Vrikodara, to-day I have been freed from a
terrible curse. For some offence, that great Rishi, Agastya, had
cursed me in anger. Thou hast delivered me by this act (of thine). O
Pandu's son, my disgrace had ere this been fated. No off ence, therefore,
in any way, attaches unto thee, O Pandava.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'O divine one, why wast thou cursed by the
high-souled Agastya ? O god, I am curious to hear about the occasion
of that imprecation. I wonder that at that very moment, thou together
with thy forces and attendants wast not consumed by the ire of that
intelligent one.'
"Thereupon the lord of treasures said, 'At Kusasthali, O king,
once there was held a conclave of the gods. And surrounded by gram-
visaged Yakshas, numbering three hundred maha-padmas, carrying
various weapons, I was going to that place. And on the way, I saw
that foremost of sages, Agastya, engaged in the practice of severe
austerities on the bank of the Yamuna, abounding in various birds
and graced with blossoming trees. And, O king, immediately on seeing
that mass of energy, flaming and brilliant as fire, seated with upraised
arms, facing the sun, my friend, the graceful lord of the Rakshasas, Mani-
man, from stupidity, foolishness, hauteur and ignorance discharged his
excrement on the crown of that Maharshi. Thereupon, as if burning
all the cardinal points by his wrath, he said unto me, 'Since, O lord of
treasures, in thy very presence, disregarding me, this thy friend hath
thus affronted me, he, together with thy forces, shall meet with destruc-
tion at the hands of a mortal. And, O wicked-minded one, thou also,
being distressed on account of thy fallen soldiers, shalt ba freed from thy
sin, on beholding that mortal. But if they follow thy behests, their (the
soldiers') powerful sons shall not incur by this dreadful curse. This
curse I received formerly from that foremost of Rishis. Now, O mighty
king, have I been delivered by thy brother Bhima.' "
SECTION CLXI
(Yaksha-yuddha Parva
"The lord of treasures said, 'O Yudhishthira, patience, ability,
(appropriate) time and place and prowess — these five lead to success in
human affairs. O Bharata, in the Krita Yuga, men were patient and
able in their respective occupations and they knew how to display prow-
ess. And, O foremost of the Kshatriyas, a Kshatriya that is endued
with patience and understandeth the propriety regarding place and
time and is versed in all mortal regulations, can alone govern the
344 MAHABHAEATA
world for a long time, — nay, in all transactions. He that behaveth thus,
acquireth, O hero, fame in this world and excellent state in the next.
And by having displayed his prowess at the proper place and time, Sakra
with the Vasus hath obtained the dominion of heaven. He that from
anger cannot see his fall and he that being naturally wicked and evil-
minded followeth evil and he thatknoweth not the propriety relative to
acts, meet with destruction both in this world and the next. The exer-
tions of that stupid person become fruitless, who is not conversant with
the expediency regarding time and acts, and he meeteth with destruction
both in this world and the next. And the object of that wicked and
deceitful person is vicious, who, aiming at mastery of every kind,
committeth some rash act. O best of men, Bhimasena is fearless, and
ignorant of duties, and haughty, and of the sense of a child, and unfor-
bearing. Do thou, therefore, check him, Repairing again to the
hermitage of the pious sage Arshtisena, do thou reside there during the
dark fortnight, without fear or anxiety. O lord of men, deputed by me,
all the Gandharvas residing at Alaka, as also those dwelling in this
mountain, will, O mighty -armed one, protect thee, and these best of the
Brahmanas. And, O king, O chief among virtuous men, knowing that
Vrikodara hath come hither out of rashness, do thou check him. Hence-
forth, O monarch, beings living in the forest will meet you, wait
upon you and always protect you all. And, ye foremost of men, my ser-
vants will always procure for you various meats and drinks of delicious
flavour. And, O son, Yudhishthira, even as by reason of your being the
progeny of spiritual intercourse, Jishnu is entitled to the protection of
Mahendra, and Vrikodara, of the Wind- god, and thou, of Dharma, and
the twins possessed of strength, of the Aswins, — so ye all are. entitled to
my protection. That one next by birth to Bhimasena, Phalguna, versed in
the science of profit and all mortal regulations, is well in heaven. And,
O child, those perfections that are recognised in the world as leading to
heaven, are established in Dhananjaya even from his very birth. And
self-restraint, and charity, and strength, and intelligence, and modesty,
and fortitude, and excellent energy — even all these are established in
that majestic one of magnificent soul. And, O Pandava, Jishnu never
committed any shameful act through poverty of spirit. And in the
world, none ever say that Partha hath uttered an untruth. And, O
Bharata, honoured by the gods, pitris, and the Gandharvas, that enhan-
cer of the glory of the Kurus is learning the science of weapons in
Sakra's abode. And, O Partha, in heaven he that with justice had brought
under his subjection all the rulers of the earth, even that exceedingly
powerful and highly energetic monarch, the grandsire of thy father,
Santanu himself, is well-pleased with the behaviour of that wielder of
the Gandiva — the foremost of his race. And, O king, abiding in Indra's
VANA PAEVA 345
regions, he who on the banks of the Yamuna had worshipped the gods,
the pitris, and the Brahmanas, by celebrating seven grand horse sacri-
fices, that great grandsire of thine, the emperor Santanu of severe
austerities, who hath attained heaven, hath enquired of thy welfare.' "
Vaisampayana said, "Having heard these words of the dispenser
of wealth, the Panda v as were well-pleased with them. Then lowering
his club and mace and sword and bow, that foremost of the Bharatas
bowed down unto Kuvera. And that giver of protection, the lord of
treasures, seeing him prostrate, said, 'Be thou the destroyer of the pride
of foes, and the enhancer of the delight of friends. And ye oppressors of
enemies, do ye live in our romantic region. The Yakshas will not cross
your desires. Gudakesa: after having acquired mastery over weapons,
will come back soon. Bidden adieu by Maghavat himself, Dhananjaya
will join you.'
"Having thus instructed Yudhishthira of excellent deeds, the lord
of the Guhyakas, vanished from that best of mountains. And thousands
upon thousands of Yakshas, and Rakshasas followed him in vehicles
spread over with checkered cushions, and decorated with various jewels.
And as the horses proceeded towards the abode of Kuvera, a noise arose
as of birds flying in the air. And the chargers of the lord of treasures
speedily coursed through the sky as if drawing forward the firmament,
and devouring the air.
"Then at the command of the lord of wealth, the dead bodies of
the Rakshasas were removed from the summit of the mountain. As the
intelligent Agastya had fixed this period as the limit of (the duration of)
his curse, so being slain in conflict, the Rakshasas were freed from the
imprecation. And being honoured by the Rakshasas, the Pandavas for
several nights dwelt pleasantly in those habitations."
SECTION CLXII
(Yaksha-yuddha Parva continued)
Vaisampayana continued, "Then, O represser of foes, at sunrise,
having finished his daily devotions, Dhaumya came unto the Pandavas,
with Arshtishena. And having bowed down unto the feet of Arstishena
and Dhaumya, they with joined hands paid homage unto all the Brah-
manas. Then Dhaumya taking Yudhishthira's right hand, said these
words, looking at the east, 'O mighty monarch, this king of mountains,
Mandara, lieth vast, covering the earth up to the ocean. O Panda v a,
Indra and Vaisravana preside over this point graced with woods and for-
ests and mountains. And, O child, the intelligent sages versed in every
duty, say, that this (region) is the abode of Indra and king Vaisravana.
And the twice-born ones, and the sages v ersed in the duties, and the
13
346 MAHABHAEATA
Siddhas, and the Sadhyas, and the celestials pay their adorations unto the
Sun as he riseth from this point. And that lord of all living beings, king
Yama, conversant with duty, presideth over yonder southern region
whither come the spirits of the departed. And this is Sanyamana, the
abode of the lord of departed spirits, sacred, and wonderful to behold,
and crowned with prime prosperity. And the intelligent ones call that
monarch of mountains (by the name of) Asta. Having, O king, arrived
at this, the Sun ever abideth by the truth. And king Varuna protects all
creatures, abiding in this king of mountains, and also in the vast deep.
And, O highly fortunate one, there illumining the northern regions, lieth
the puissant Mahatneru, auspicious and the refuge of those knowing
Brahma, where is the court of Brahma, and remaining where that soul
of all creatures, Prajapati, hath created all that is mobile and immobile.
And the Mahameru is the auspicious and healthy abode even of the
seven mind-born sons of Brahma, of whom Daksha was the seventh.
And, O child, here it is that the seven celestial rishis with Vasishtha at
their head rise and set. Behold that excellent and bright summit of the
Meru, where sitteth the great sire (Brahma) with the celestials happy
in self-knowledge. And next to the abode of Brahma is visible the
region of him who is said to be the really primal Cause or the origin of
all creatures, even that prime lord, god Narayana, having neither
beginning nor end. And, O king, that auspicious place composed of all
energies ev en the celestials cannot behold. And the region of the high-
souled Vishnu, by its native splendour, exceeding in effulgence the sun
or fire, cannot be beheld by the gods, or the Danavas. And the region
of Narayana lieth resplendent to the east of the Meru, where , O child,
that lord of all creatures, the self -create primal Cause of the universe,
having manifested all beings, looketh splendid of his excellent grace. O
child, not to speak of the Maharshis — even Brahmarshis have no access
to that place. And, O best of the Kurus, it is the Yatis only who have
access to it. And, O Pandu's son, (at that place) luminaries cannot
shine by him ; there that lord of inconceivable soul alone shineth trans-
cendental. There by reverence, and severe austerities, Yatis inspired
by virtue of pious practices, attain Narayana Hari. And, O Bharata,
repairing thither, and attaining that uni v ersal Soul — the self-create and
eternal God of gods, high-souled ones, of Yoga success, and free from
ignorance and pride have not to return to this world. O highly for-
tunate Yudhishthira, this region is without beginning, or deterioration,
or end : for it is the very essence of that God. And, O son of the Kurus,
the Sun and the Moon every day go round this Meru, coursing in an
opposite direction. And, O sinless one, O mighty monarch, the other
luminaries also go round this king of mountains in the self -same way.
Thus the worshipful Sun who dispelleth darkness, goeth round this
VANA PABVA 347
(mountain) obscuring other luminaries. Then having set, and passed the
evening, that Maker of day, the Sun, taketh a northerly course. Then
again nearing the Meru, the divine Sun (ever) intent on the good of all
beings, again courseth, facing the east. And in this way., the divine
Moon also together with the stars goeth round this mountain, dividing
the month unto several sections, by his arrival at the Par v as. Having
thus unerringly coursed round the mighty Meru, and, nourished all
creatures, the Moon again repaireth unto the Mandar. In the same
way, that destroyer of darkness — the divine Sun— also movethonthis
unobstructed path, animating the universe. When, desirous of causing
dew, he repaireth to the south, then there ensueth winter to all crea-
tures. Then the Sun, turning back from the south, by his rays draweth
up the energy from all creatures both mobile and immobile. Thereupon,
men become subject to perspiration, fatigue, drowsiness and lassitude ;
and living beings always feel disposed to slumber. Thence, returning
through unknown regions, that divine effulgent one causeth shower, and
thereby rev iveth beings. And having, by the comfort caused by the
shower, wind, and warmth, cherished the mobile and the immobile, the
powerful Sun resumeth his former course. O Partha, ranging thus, the
Sun unerringly turneth on the wheel of Time, influencing created things.
His course is unceasing ; he never resteth, O Pandava. Withdrawing
the energy of all beings, he again rendereth it back. O Bharata, divi-
ding time into day and night, and Kala, and Kashtha, that lord, the Sun,
dealeth life and motion to all created things.' v
SECTION CLXIII
( Yaksha-yuddha Parva continued )
Vaisampayana continued, "Dwelling in that best of mountains
those high-souled ones observing excellent vows, felt themselves attrac-
ted (to that place), and diverted themselves, eager to behold Arjuna. And
multitudes of Gandharvas and Maharshis gladly visited those energetic
ones, possessing prowess, of chaste desires, and being the foremost of
those endued with truth and fortitude. And having arrived at that ex-
cellent mountain furnished with trees bearing blossoms, those mighty
charioteers were exceedingly delighted, even as the Marutas, on arriving
at the celestial regions. And experiencing great exhilaration, they
lived (there), seeing the slopes and summits of that mighty mountain,
filled with flowers, and resonant with the cries of peacocks and cranes.
And on that beautiful mountain they beheld lakes filled with lotuses,
and having their shores covered with trees, and frequented by darkness,
and karandavas and swans. And the flourishing sporting-regions, grace-
ful on account of the various flowers, and abounding in gems, was capa-
348 MAHABHAEATA
ble of captivating that king, the dispenser of wealth (Kuv era). And
always ranging (there), those foremost of ascetics (the Pandavas) were
incapable of conceiving (the significance of ) that Summit, furnished with
mighty trees, and masses of wide-spreading clouds. And, O great hero,
owing to its native splendour, and also on account of the brilliance of
the annual plants, there was no difference there between night and day.
And staying in the mountain, remaining in which the Sun of unrivalled
energy cherisheth the mobile and immobile things, those heroes and fore-
most of men beheld the rising and the setting of the Sun. And hav ing
seen the rising and the setting points of the Sun and the rising and the
setting mountain, and all the cardinal points, as well as the intervening
spaces ever blazing with the rays of the Dispeller of darkness, those
heroes, in expectation of the arrival of that mighty charioteer firm in
truth, became engaged in reciting the Vedas, practising the daily rituals,
chiefly discharging the religious duties, exercising sacred vows, and abi-
ding by the truth. And saying, 'Let us even here experience delight by
joining without delay Arjuna accomplished in arms.' those highly blessed
Parthas became engaged in the practice of Yoga. And beholding roman-
tic woods on that mountain, as they always thought of Kiriti, every day
and night appeared unto them even as a year. From that very moment
joy had taken leave of them when, with Dhaumya's permission, the high-
souled Jishnu, matting his hair, departed (for the woods). So, how could
they, absorbed in his contemplation, experience happiness there ? They
had become overwhelmed with grief ever since the moment when at the
command of his brother, Yudhishthira, Jishnu of the tread of a mad ele-
phant had departed from the Kamyaka forest. O Bharata, in this way,
on that mountain those descendants of Bharata passed a month with
difficulty, thinking of him of the white steeds, who had gone to Vasava's
abode for learning arms. And Arjuna, having dwelt for five years in
the abode of him of a thousand eyes, and having from that lord of celes-
tials obtained all the celestial weapons, — such as those of Agni, of
Varuna, of Soma, of Vayu, of Vishnu, of Indra, of Pasupati, of Brahma,
of Parameshthi, of Prajapati, of Yama, of Dhata, of Savita, of Tvashta,
and of Vaisravana ; and having bowed down to and gone round him of a
hundred sacrifices, and taken his (Indra' s) permission, cheerfully came
to the Gandhamadana."
SECTION CLXIV
(YaUsha-yuddUa Parva continued)
Vaisampayana continued, "And it came to pass that once a day
as those mighty charioteers were thinking of Arjuna, seeing Mahendra's
car, yoked with horses of the effulgence of lightning, arrive all on a sud-
den, they were delighted. And driven by Matali, that blazing car,
VANA PABYA 349
suddenly illuminating the sky, looked like smokeless flaming tongues of
fire, or a mighty meteor embosomed in clouds. And seated in that car,
appeared Kiriti, wearing garlands and new-made ornaments. Then
Dhananjaya possessing the prowess of the wielder of the thunder-bolt,
alighted on that mountain, blazing in beauty. And that intelligent one
decked in a diadem and garlands, having alighted on the mountain, first
bowed down at the feet of Dhaumya, and then at those of Ajatasatru.
And he also paid homage unto Vrikodara's feet ; and the twins also
bowed down unto him. Then going to Krishna, and having cheered her,
he stood before his (elder) brother in humble guise. And on meeting
with that matchless one, they were exceedingly delighted. And he also
meeting with them rejoiced exceedingly, and began to eulogise the king.
And seeing before them that car driv ing in which the slayer of Namuchi
had annihilated seven phalanxes of Diti's offspring, the magnanimous
Parthas went round it. And being highly pleased, they offered excellent
worship unto Matali, as unto the lord of the celestials himself. And
then the son of the Kuru king duly enquired of him after the health of
all the gods. And Matali also greeted them. And having instructed
the Parthas even as a father doth his sons, he ascended that incompa-
rable car, and returned to the lord of the celestials.
"And when Matali had gone away, that foremost of the royal race,
Sakra's son, the high-souled destroyer of all foes made over unto his
love, the mother of Sutasoma, beautiful precious gems and ornaments
having the splendour of the sun, which had been presented to him by
Sakra. Then, sitting in the midst of those foremost of the Kurus, and
those best of the Brahmanas, effulgent like unto fire or the sun, he be-
gan to relate all as it had happened, saying, In this way, I have learnt
weapons from Sakra, Vayu, and the manifest Siva ; and all the celestials
with Indra also hav e been pleased with me, on account of my good be-
hav iour, and concentration.'
"After having briefly narrated unto them his sojourn in heaven,
Kiriti of spotless deeds agreeably slept that night with the two sons
of Madri.'1
SECTION CLXV
(Nivata-Kavacha-yuddha Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Then when the night had been spent, Dhan-
anjaya, together with his brothers, paid homage unto Yudhishthira the
just. And, O Bharata, at this moment, proceeding from the celestials
there arose mighty and tremendous sounds of all musical instruments, and
the rattling of car-wheels, and the tolling of bells. And thereat all the
beasts and beasts of prey and birds emitted separate cries. And from all
350 MAHABHAKATA
sides in cars resplendent as the sun, hosts of Gandharvas and Apsaras
began to follow that represser of foes, the lord of the celestials. And
ascending a car yoked with steeds, decorated with burnished gold, and
roaring like clouds, that king of the celestials, Purandara blazing in
beauty came unto the Parthas. And having arrived (at that place), he
of a thousand eyes descended from his car. And as soon as Yudhishthira
the just saw that high-souled one, he together with his brothers, approach-
ed that graceful king of the immortals. And in accordance with the
ordinance that generous one duly worshipped him of immeasurable soul,
in consequence with his dignity. And then Dhananjaya possessed of prow-
ess, having bowed down unto Purandara, stood before the lord of the
celestials in humble guise, like unto a servant. And seeing the sinless
Dhananjaya having ascetic merit, bearing clotted hair, stand in humility
before the lord of celestials, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, of great
energy, smelt (the crown) of his head. And beholding Phalguna (in that
attitude), he was exceedingly glad ; and by worshipping the king of the
celestials, he experienced the highest bliss. Then unto that strong-
minded monarch, swimming in felicity, the intelligent lord of the celes-
tials, Purandara, spake, saying, Thou shalt rule the earth, O Panda v a.
Blessed be thou ! Do thou, O Kunti's son, again repair unto Kamyaka.'
"That learned man who for a year leading the Brahmacharya
mode of life, subduing his senses and observing vows, peruseth with
rapt attention this meeting of Sakra with the Pandavas, liveth a hun-
dred years free from disturbances, and enjoying happiness."
SECTION CLXVI
(Nivata-Kavacha-yuddha Parva continued)
Vaisampayana continued, "When Sakra had gone to his proper
place, Vibhatsu together with his brothers and Krishna, paid homage
unto the son of Dharma. Then smelling the crown of the head of that
Pandava, who was thus paying homage, ( Yudhishthira ) in accents
faltering on account of joy, addressed Arjuna, saying, 'O Arjuna, how
didst thou pass this period in heaven ? And how hast thou obtained
the weapons, and how also hast thou gratified the lord of the celestials ?
And, O Pandava, hast thou adequately secured the weapons ? Have
the lord of the celestials and Rudra gladly granted thee the weapons ?
And how hast thou beheld the divine Sakra, and the wielder of Pinaka ?
And how hast thou obtained the weapons ? And in what manner didst
thou worship (them) ? And what service hadst thou done unto that
represser of foes, the worshipful one of a hundred sacrifices, that he
said unto thee, 'By thee have I been gratified ?' All this, O highly
effulgent one, I wish to hear in detail. And, O sinless one, the manner
VANA PARVA 351
in which thou didst please Mahadeva and the king of the celestials and,
O represser of foes, the service thou hadst done to the wielder of the
thunder- bolt,— do thou, O Dhananjaya, relate all this in detail."
%4Arjuna said, 'O mighty monarch, listen how I duly beheld him of
a hundred sacrifice and the divine Sankara also. O grinder of foes,
0 king, having acquired that science which thou hadst directed me (to
learn), I at thy command went to the forest, for practising penances.
From Kamyaka repairing to the Bhrigutunga, I spent there one night,
being engaged in austerities. And it came to pass that on the next day
1 saw a certain Brahmana. And he asked me, saying, 'O son of Kunti,
whither wilt thou go ?' Thereupon, O descendant of the Kurus, I truly
related unto him everything. And, O best of kings, having heard the
true account, the Brahmana became well-pleased with me, and, O king,
praised me. Then the Brahmana, pleased with me, said, 'O Bharata, be
thou engaged in austerities. By performing panances, thou wilt in a
short time behold the lord of the celestials.' And according to his advice
I ascended the Himavan, and, O mighty king, began to practise penances,
( the first ) month subsisting on fruit and roots. I spent the second
month, subsisting on water. And, O Pandava, in the third month I
totally abstained from food. And in the fourth month I remained with
upraised arms. And a wonder it is that I did not lose any strength.
And it came to pass that when the first day of the fifth month had been
spent, there appeared before me a being wearing the form of a boar,
turning up the earth with his mouth, stamping the ground with his
feet, rubbing the earth with his breast, and momentarily going about in
a frightful manner. And him followed a great being in the guise of a
hunter furnished with the bow, arrows, and the sword, and surrounded
by females. Thereupon, taking my bow and the two inexhaustible
quivers, I pierced with shafts that terrible and frightful creature. And
simultaneously (with me) that hunter also drawing a strong bow, more
severely struck at (the animal), as if shaking my mind. And, O king,
he also said unto me, 'Why hast thou, transgressing the rules of hunting,
hit the animal first hit at by me ? With these sharpened shafts will I
destroy thy pride. Stay !' Then that mighty- bodied one holding the
bow rushed at me. And with volleys of mighty shafts, he covered me
entirely, even as a cloud covereth a mountain with showers. Then, on
my part, I covered him with a mighty discharge of arrows. Thereupon,
with steady arrows having their points aflame, and inspired with man-
tras, I pierced him even as (Indra) riveth a mountain with a thunder-
bolt. Then his person began to be multiplied a hundredfold and a
thousandfold. At this, I pierced all his bodies with shafts. Then again
all those forms became one, O Bharata. Thereat I struck at it. Next,
he now assumed a small body with a huge head, and now a huge body
352 MAHABHAEATA
with a small head. And, O king, he then assumed his former person,
and approached me for fight. And, O foremost of the Bharata race,
when in the encounter I failed to overwhelm him with arrows, I fixed
the mighty weapon of the Wind-god. But I failed to discharge it at him,
and this was a wonder. And when that weapon thus failed of effect, I
was struck with amazement. However, O king, exerting myself more
vigorously, I again covered that being with a mighty multitude of shafts.
Then taking Sthunakarna, and Varuna. and Salava, and Asmavarsha
weapons, I assailed him, profusely showering shafts. But, O king, he
instantly swallowed up even all these weapons of mine. And when all
those (weapons) had been swallowed up, I discharged the weapon presi-
ded over by Brahma. And when the blazing arrows issuing from that
weapon were heaped upon him all around, and being thus heaped over
by that mighty weapon discharged by me, he increased (in bulk). Then
all the world became oppressed with the energy begotten of the weapon
hurled by me, and the firmament and all the points of the sky became
illumined. But that one of mighty energy instantly baffled even that
weapon. And, O monarch, when that weapon presided over by Brahma
had been baffled I was possessed with terrible fear. Thereupon imme-
diately holding even my bow and the two inexhaustible quivers, I shot
at that being, but he swallowed up all those weapons. And when all the
weapons had been baffled and swallowed up, there ensued a wrestling
between him and myself. And we encountered each other first with
blows and then with slaps. But incapable of overcoming that being, I
fell down stupefied on the ground. Thereupon, O mighty king, with a
laugh, that wonderful being at my sight vanished at that spot together
with the woman. Having accomplished this, O illustrious monarch,
that divine one assumed another and unearthly form (clad in) wonder-
ful raiment. And renouncing the form of a hunter, that divine lord of
the gods, resumed his own unearthly appearance and that mighty god
stood (there). Then appeared before me with Uma that manifest divine
one, having the bull for his mark, wielding the Pinaka, bearing serpents
and capable of assuming many forms. And, O represser of foes, advan-
cing towards me, standing even then in the field ready for conflict, that
wielder of the trident addressed me saying, 'I am well-pleased with thee.
Then that divine one held up my bows and the couple of quivers fur-
nished with inexhaustible shafts and returned them unto me saying, 'Do
thou ask some boon, O Kunti's son. I am well-pleased with thee. Tell
me, what I shall do for thee. And, O hero, express the desire that
dwelleth in thy heart. I will grant it. Except immortality alone, tell
me as to the desire that is in thy heart. Thereat with my mind intent
on the acquisition of arms, I only bowed down unto Siva and said, 4O
divine one, if thou beest favourably disposed towards me, then I wish to
VANA PARVA 353
have this boon, — I wish to learn all the weapons that are with thy god-
head.1 Then the god Tryamvaka said unto me, 1 will give. O Pandava,
my own weapon Raudra shall attend upon thee.' Thereupon Maha-
deva, well-pleased, granted to me the mighty weapon, Pasupata. And,
having granted that eternal weapon, he also said unto me, 'This must
never be hurled at mortals. If discharged at any person of small energy,
it would consume the universe. Shouldst thou ( at any time) be hard
pressed, thou mayst discharge it. And when all thy weapons have been
completely baffled, thou mayst hurl it.' Then when he having the bull
for his mark, had been thus gratified, there stood manifest by my side
that celestial weapon, of resistless force capable of baffling all weapons
and destructive of foes and the hewer of hostile forces and unrivalled
and difficult to be borne even by the celestials, the demons and the
Rakshasas. Then at the command of that god, I sat me down there. And
in my very sight the god vanished from the spot.' "
SECTION CLXVII
(Nivata-Kavaclia-yuddha Parva continued)
"Arjuna said, 'O Bharata, by the grace of that god of gods the
Supreme Soul, Tryamvaka, I passed the night at that place. And
hav ing passed the night, when I had finished the morning rituals, I saw
that foremost of the Brahmanas whom I had seen before. And unto him
I told all as it had happened, O Bharata, namely, that I had met the
divine Mahadeva. Thereupon, O king of kings, well-pleased, he said
unto me, 'Since thou hast beheld the great god, incapable of being be-
held by any one else, soon wilt thou mix with Vaivaswata and the other
Lokapalas and the lord of the celestials ; and Indra too will grant thee
weapons.' O king, having said this unto me and having embraced me
again and again, that Brahmana resembling the Sun, went away whither
he listed. And, O slayer of foes, it came to pass that on the evening of
that day refreshing the whole world, there began to blow a pure breeze.
And in my v icinity on the base of the Himalaya mountain fresh, frag-
rant and fair flowers began to bloom. And on all sides there were heard
charming symphony and captivating hymns relating to Indra. And
before the lord of the celestial hosts of Apsaras and Gandharvas
chanted various songs. And ascending celestial cars, there approached
the Marutas and the followers of Mahendra and the dwellers of heaven.
And afterwards, Marutvan together with Sachi and all the celestials
appeared on the scene in cars yoked with horses elegantly adorned. And
at this very moment, O king, he that goeth about on the shoulders of
men manifested himself unto me in excellent grace. And I saw Yama
seated on the south and Varuna and the lord of the celestials at their
354 MAHABHARATA
respective regions. And, O foremost of men, O mighty monarch, they
after having cheered me said, 'O Savyasachin, behold us — the Lokapalas
— seated. For the performance of the task of the gods thou hast
obtained the sight of Sankara. Do thou now receive weapons from us
seated around.' Thereupon, O lord, having bowed down unto those fore-
most of the celestials with regard, I duly accepted those mighty weapons.
And then they recognised me as one of their own. Afterwards the gods
repaired to the quarter from whence they had come. And that lord of
the celestials, the divine Maghav an too having ascended his glorious
chariot, said, 'O Phalguna, thou shalt have to repair unto the celestial
region. O Dhananjaya, even before this thy arrival I knew that
thou wouldst come hither. Then have I, O best of the Bharatas, mani-
fested myself unto thee. As formerly thou hadst performed thy ablution
in the various tirthas and now hast performed severe austerities, so
thou wilt be able to repair unto the celestial regions, O Pandava- Thou
wilt, however, again have to practise extreme penance, for thou shouldst
at any rate journey to heaven. And at my command, Matati shall take
thee to the celestial regions. Thou hast already been recognised by the
celestials and the celestial sages of high soul/ Thereupon I said unto
Sakra, 'O div ine one, be thou favourable unto me. With the view of
learning arms do I beseech thee that thou mayst 'be my preceptor.' At
this Indra said, 'O child, having learnt weapons thou wouldst perform
terrible deeds and with this object thou desirest to obtain the weapons.
However, obtain thou the arms, as thou desirest.' Then I said, 'O
slayer of foes, I never would discharge these celestial weapons at mortals
except when all my other arms should have been baffled. Do thou, O
lord of the celestials, grant me the celestial weapons (so that) I may
heareafter obtain the regions attainable by warriors.' Indra said, 'O
Dhananjaya, it is to try thee that I have said such words unto thee.
Having been begotten of me this speech of thine well becometh thee.
Do thou, O Bharata, repairing unto my abode learn all the weapons of
Vayu, of Agni, of the Vasus, of Varuna, of the Marutas, of the Siddhas,
of Brahma, of the Gandharvas, of theUragas, of the Rakshasas, of Vishnu
and of the Nairitas ; and also all the weapons that are with me, O per-
petuator of the Kuru race.' Having said this un£o me Sakra vanished
at the very spot. Then, O king, saw I the wonderful and sacred celestial
car yoked with steeds arrive conducted by Ma tali. And when the
Lokapalas went away Matali said unto me, 'O thou of mighty splendour,
the lord of the celestials is desirous of seeing thee. And O mighty-armed
one, do thou acquire competence and then perform thy task. Come and
behold the regions, attainable by merit and come unto heaven even in
this frame. O Bharata, the thousand-eyed lord of the celestials wisheth
to see thee/ Thus addressed by Matali, I, taking leave of the moun-
VANA PARVA 355
tain Himalaya and hav ing gone round it ascended that excellent car.
And then the exceedingly generous Matali, versed in equine lore, drove
the steeds, gifted with the speed of thought or the wind. And when
the chariot began to move, that charioteer looking at my face as I was
seated steadily, wondered and said these words, 'Today this appeareth
unto me strange and unprecedented that being seated in this celestial
car, thou hast not been jerked ever so little. O foremost of Bharata
race, I have ever remarked that at the first pull by the steeds even the
lord of the celestials himself getteth jerked. But all the while that the
car had moved, thou hast been sitting unshaken. This appeareth unto
me as transcending even the power of Sakra.'
"Having said this, O Bharata, Matali soared in the sky and showed
me the abodes of the celestials and their palaces. Then the chariot
yoked with steeds coursed upwards. And the celestials and the sages
began to worship (that car), O prime of men. And I saw the regions,
moving anywhere at will, and the splendour also of the highly energetic
Gandharvas, Apsaras, and the celestial sages. And Sakra's charioteer,
Matali, at once showed me Nandana and other gardens and groves
belonging to the celestials. Next I beheld Indra's abode, Amaravati,
adorned with jewels and trees yielding any sort of fruit that is desired.
There the Sun doth not shed heat ; nor doth heat or cold or fatigue there
affect (one), O king. And, O great monarch, the celestials feel neither
sorrow nor poverty of spirit, nor weakness, nor lassitude, O grinder of
foes. And, O ruler of men, the celestials and the others have neither
anger nor cov etousness. And, O king, in the abodes of the celestials,
the beings are ever contented. And there the trees ever bear verdant
foliage, and fruits, and flowers ; and the various lakes are embalmed
with the fragrance of lotuses. And there the breeze is cool, and deli-
cious, and fragrant, and pure, and inspiriting. And the ground is
variegated with all kinds of gems, and adorned with blossoms. And
there were seen innumerable beautiful beasts and in the air innumerable
rangers of the sky. Then I saw the Vasus, and the Rudras, and the
Sadhyas with the Marutas, and the Adityas, and the two Aswins and
worshipped them. And they conferred their benisan on me, granting
me strength and prowess, and energy, and celebrity, and (skill in) arms,
and v ictory in battle. Then, entering that romantic city adored by the
Gandharvas and the celestials, with joined hands, I stood before the
thousand-eyed lord of the celestials. Thereupon, that best of bestowers
gladly offered unto me half of his seat ; and Vasava also with regard
touched my person. And, O Bharata, with the v iew of acquiring arms
and learning weapons, I began to dwell in heav en, together with the
gods and the Gandharvas of generous souls. And Viswav ana's son,
Chitrasena, became my friend. And he, O king, imparted unto me the
356 MAHABHAKADA
entire Gandharva (science). And, O monarch, I happily lived in
Sakra's abode, well cared for having all my desires gratified, learning
weapons, listening to the notes of songs, and the clear sounds of musical
instruments, and beholding the foremost of Apsaras dance. And with-
out neglecting to study the arts, which I learnt properly, my attention
was specially fixed on the acquisition of arms. And that lord of a thou-
sand eyes was pleased with that purpose of mine. Living thus in heaven,
O king, I passed this period.
"And when I had acquired proficiency in weapons, and gained his
confidence that one having for his vehicle the horse (Uchchaisrava^
(Indra), patting me on the head with his hand, said these words, 'Now
even the celestials themselves cannot conquer thee, — what shall I say of
imperfect mortals residing on earth ? Thou hast become invalnerable
in strength, irrepressible, and incomparable in fight.' Then with
the hair of his body standing on end, he again accosted me saying, 'O
hero, in fighting with weapons none is equal unto thee. And, O perpetua-
tor of the Kuru race, thou art even watchful, and dexterous, and truth-
ful, and of subdued senses, and the protector of the Brahmanas and adept
in weapons, and warlike. And, O Partha, together with (a knowledge
of) the five modes, using (them), thou hast obtained five and ten weapons
and, therefore, there existeth none who is thy peer. And thou
perfectly learnt the discharge (of those weapons) and (their) with-
drawal, and (their) re-discharge and re-withdrawal, and the Prayaschitta
connected (with them), and also their revival, in case of their being
bafHed. Now, O represser of foes, the time hath arrived for thy paying
the preceptor's fee. Do thou promise to pay the fee ; then I shall un-
fold unto thee what thou wilt have to perform.' Thereat, O king, I said
unto the ruler of the celestials, If it be in my power to do the work, do
thou consider it as already accomplished by me.' O king, when I had
said these words, Indra with a smile said unto me 'Nothing is there
the three worlds that is not in thy prower (to achieve). My enemi<
those Danavas, named, Nivata-Kavachas dwell in the womb of the
ocean. And they number thirty million and are notorious, and all of
equal forms and strength and splendour. Do thou slay them there, O
Kunti's son ; and that will be thy preceptor's fee.'
"Saying this he gave unto me the highly resplendent celestial car,
conducted by Matali, furnished with hair resembling the down of pea-
cocks. And on my head he set this excellent diadem And he gave
ornaments for my body, like unto his own. And he granted unto me th<
impenetrable mail — the best of its kind, and easy to the touch ; ai
fastened unto the Gandiva this durable string. Then I set out, ascend-
ing that splendid chariot riding on which in days of yore, the lord of
the celestials had vanquished Vali— that son of Virochana. And, O
VAN A PABVA 357
ruler of men, startled by the rattling of the car, all the celestials,
approached (there), taking me to be the king of the celestials. And seeing
me, they asked, 'O Phalguna, what art thou going to do ?' And I told
them as it had fallen out, — and said, 1 shall even do this in battle. Ye
that are highly fortunate, know that I have set out desirous of slaying
the Nivata-Kavachas. O sinless ones, do ye bless me.' Thereupon, they
began to eulogise me even as they (eulogise) the god, Purandara. And
they said, 'Riding on this car, Maghavan conquered in battle
Samvara, and Namuchi, and Vala, and Vritra, and Prahrada, and Naraka.
And mounted on this car also Maghavan, had conquered in battle many
thousands and millions and hundreds of millions of Daityas. And, O
Kaunteya, thou also, riding on this car, by thy prowess shalt conquer
the Nivata-Kavachas in conflict, even as did the self -possessed Maghavan
in days of yore. And here is the best of shells ; by this also thou shalt
defeat the Danavas. And by this it is that the high souled Sakra
conquered the worlds.' Saying this, the gods offered (unto me) this shell,
Devadatta, sprung in the deep ; and I accepted it for the sake of victory.
And at this moment, the gods fell extolling me. And in order to be
engaged in action, I proceeded to the dreadful abode of the Danavas,
furnished with the shell, the mail, and arrows, and taking my bow.:'
SECTION CLXVIII
(Nivata-Kavacha-yuddha Parva continued)
"Arjuna continued, 'Then at places eulogised by the Maharshis,
I (proceeded, and at length) beheld the ocean — that inexhaustible lord
of waters. And like unto flowing cliffs were seen on it heaving billows,
now meeting together and now rolling away. And there (were seen) all
around barks by thousands filled with gems. And there were seen
timingilas and tortoises and makaras like unto rocks submerged in water.
And on all sides round thousands of shells sunk in water appeared like
stars in the night covered by light clouds. And thousands upon
thousands of gems were floating in heaps and a violent wind was blow-
ing about in whirls —and this was wonderful to behold. And having
beheld that excellent lord of all waters with powerful tides, I saw at a
short, distance the city of the demons filled with the Danavas. And
even there, eftsoons entering underneath the earth, Matali skilled in
guiding the car, sitting fast on the chariot drove it with force ; and he
dashed on, frightening that city with the Battling of his chariot. And
hearing that rattling of the chariot like unto the rumbling of the clouds
in the sky, the Danavas, thinking me to be the lord of the celestials,
became agitated. And thereupon they all, frightened at heart, stood
holding in their hands bows and arrows and swords and javelins and
358 MAHABHABATA
axes and maces and clubs. Then having made arrangements for the
defence of the city, the Danavas, with minds alarmed, shut the gates,
so that nothing could be discovered. Thereupon taking my shell,
Devadatta, of tremendous roars, I again and again winded it with
exceeding cheerfulness. And filling all the firmament, those sounds
produced echoes. Thereat mighty beings were terrified and they hid
(themselves). And then, O Bharata, all of them adorned with ornaments,
those offsprings of Diti— the Nivata-Kavachas — made their appearance
by thousands, donning diverse mail and taking in their hands various
weapons and equipped with mighty iron javelins and maces and clubs
and hatchets and sabres and discs and sataghnis and bhusundis and
variegated and ornamented swords. Then, after deliberating much as
to the course of the car, Matali began to guide the steeds on a (piece of)
level ground, O foremost of the Bharatas. And owing to the swiftness
of those fleet coursers conducted by him, I could see nothing — and tl
was strange. Then the Danavas there began to sound thousands of
musical instruments, dissonant and of odd shapes. And at those sounds,
fishes by hundreds and by thousands, like unto hills, having their sens
bewildered by that noise, fled suddenly. And mighty force flew at me,
the demons discharging sharpened shafts by hundreds and by thousands.
And then, O Bharata, there ensued a dreadful conflict between me ai
the demons, calculated to extinguish the Nivata-Kavachas. And there
came to the mighty battle the Devarshis and the Danavarshis and the
Brahmarshis and the Siddhas. And desirous of victory, the Munis
eulogised me with the same sweet speeches that (they had eulogised^
Indra with, at the war, (which took place) for the sake of Tara.' '
SECTION CLXIX
(Nivata-Kavacha-yuddha Parva continued)
"Arjuna continued, 'Then, O Bharata, vehemently rushed at me
in battle in a body the Nivata-Kavachas, equipped with arms. And
obstructing the course of the car, and shouting loudly, those mighty
charioteers, hemming me in on all sides, covered me with showers of
shafts. Then other demons of mighty prowess, with darts and hatchets
in their hands, began to throw at me spears and axes. And that mighty
discharge of darts, with numerous maces and clubs incessantly hurled
fell upon my car. And other dreadful and grim-visaged smiters amoi
the Nivata-Kavachas, furnished with bows and sharpened weapons, rai
at me in fight. And in the conflict, shooting from the Gandiva sundry
swift arrows coursing straight, I pierced each of them with ten. And
they were driven back by those stone- whetted shafts of mine. Then on
my steeds being swiftly driven by Matali, they began to display various
VANA PABVA 359
movements with the speed of the wind. And being skilfully guided by
Matali, they began to trample upon the sons of Diti. And although the
steeds yoked unto that mighty chariot numbered hundreds upon hundreds,
yet being deftly conducted by Matali, they began to move, as if they
were only a few. And by their tread, and by the rattling of the charit-
wheels and by the vollies of my shafts, the Danavas began to fall by
hundreds. And others accoutred in bows, being deprived of life, and
having their charioteers slain, were carried about by the horses. Then,
covering all sides and directions, all (the Danavas) skilled in striking
entered into the contest with various weapons, and thereat my mind
became afflicted. And I witnessed (this instance of) the marvellous
prowess of Matali, viz., that he guided those fiery steeds with ease.
Then, O king, in the conflict, with diverse fleet weapons I pierced by
hundreds and by thousands (demons) bearing arms. And, O slayer of
foes, seeing me thus range the field putting forth every exertion, the
heroic charioteer of Sakra was well-pleased. And oppressed by those
steeds and that car, some (of them) met with annihilation ; and others
desisted from fight ; while (other) Nivata-Kavachas, challenged by us
in battle and being harassed with shafts offered opposition unto me, by
(discharging) mighty showers of arrows. Thereupon, with hundreds and
thousands of sundry fleet weapons inspired with the mantras relating
to Brahma's weapons, I swiftly began to burn them. And being sore
pressed by me, those mighty asuras waxing wroth afflicted me together,
by pouring torrents of clubs and darts and swords. Then, O Bharata, I
took up that favourite weapon of the lord of the celestials, Maghavan
by name, prime and of fiery energy and by the energy of that weapon I
cut into a thousand pieces the Tomaras, together with the swords and
the tridents hurled by them. And hav ing cut off their arms I in ire
pierced them each with ten shafts. And in the field arrows were shot
from the Gandiva like unto rows of black-bees; and this Matali admired.
And their shafts also showered upon me ; but those powerful (arrows)
I cut off with my shafts. Then on being struck the Nivata-Kavachas
again covered me on all sides with a mighty shower of arrows. And
having neutralised the force of the arrows by excellent swift and flaming
weapons capable of baffling arms, I pierced them by thousands. And
blood began to flow from their torn frames, even as in the rainy season
waters run down from the summits of mountains. And on being wound-
ed by my fleet and straight-coursing shafts of the touch of Indra's
thunder-bolt, they became greatly agitated. And their bodies were
pierced at hundreds of places ; and the force of their arms diminished.
Then the Nivata-Kavachas fought me by (the help of) illusion.' "
SECTION CLXX
( Nivata-Kavacha-yuddha Parva continued,)
"Arjuna said, 'Then with rocks of the proportions of trees, there
commenced a mighty shower of crags; and this exercised me exeedingly.
And in that high encounter, I crushed (those crags) by swif t-speeding
showers of arrows, issuing from Mahendra's weapon, like unto the
thunder-bolt itself. And when the rocks had been reduced to powder,
there was generated fire ; and the rocky dust fell like unto masses of
flames. And when the showers of crags had been repelled, there happen-
ed near me a mightier shower of water, hav ing currents of the propor-
tions of an axle. And falling from the welkin, those thousands of power-
ful torrents covered the entire firmament and the directions and the
cardinal points. And on account of the pouring of the shower, and of
the blowing of the wind, and of roaring of the Daityas, nothing could
be perceived. And touching heaven and the entire earth, and incessant-
ly falling on the ground, the showers bewildered me. Thereupon, I
discharged that celestial weapon which I had learnt from Indra — even
the dreadful and flaming Visoshana ; and by that the water was dried
up. And, O Bharata, when the rocky shower had been destroyed, and
the watery shower had been dried up, the Danavas began to spread illu-
sions of fire and wind. Then by aqueous appliances I extinguished the
flames ; and by a mighty rock-issuing arm, resisted the fury of the winds.
And when these had been repelled, the Danavas, irrepressible in battle,
O Bharata, simultaneously created various illusions. And there happened
a tremendous horrifying shower of rocks and dreadful weapons of fire
and wind. And that illusory downpour afflicted me in fight. And then
on all sides there appeared a dense and thick darkness. And when the
world had been enveloped in deep and dense darkness, the steeds
turned away, Matali fell off, and from his hand the golden lash fell to the
earth. And, O foremost of the Bharatas, being frightened, he again
and again cried, 'Where art thou ?' And when he had been stupefied,
a terrible fear possessed me. And then in a hurry, he spake unto me,
saying, 'O Partha, for the sake of nectar, there had taken place a
mighty conflict between the gods and the demons. I had seen that
(encounter), O sinless one. And on the occasion of the destruction of
Samvara, there had occurred a dreadful and mighty contest. Never-
theless I had acted as charioteer to the lord of the celestials. In the
same way, on the occasion of the slaying of Vritra, the steeds had been
conducted by me. And I had also beheld the high and terrific encoun-
ter with Virochana's son, and, O Panda v a, with Vala, and with Prahrada
and with others also. In these exceedingly dreadful battles, I was
VANA PABVA 361
present ; but, O Pandu's son, never (before) had I lost my senses. Surely
the Great-father hath ordained the destruction of all creatures ; for
this battle cannot be for any other purpose than the destruction of the
universe.' Having heard these words of his, pacifying my perturbation
by my own effort, I will destroy the mighty energy of the illusion
spread by the Danavas quoth I unto the terrified Matali. Behold the
might of my arms, and the power of my weapons and of the bow,
Gandiva. To-day, even by (the help of) illusion-creating arms, will I
dispel this deep gloom and also this horrible illusion of theirs. Do not
fear, O charioteer. Pacify thyself .' Having said this, O lord of men,
I created for the good of the celestials, an illusion of arms capable of
bewildering all beings. And when (their) illusion had been dispelled,
some of the foremost amongst the Asuras, of unrivalled prowess, again
spread diverse kinds of illusion. Thereupon, now (the world) displayed
itself, and now it was devoured by darkness : and now the world dis-
appeared from view and now it was submerged under water. And when
it had brightened up, Matali, sitting in front of the car, with the well-
conducted steeds, began to range that hair-erecting field. Then the
fierce Nivata-Kavachas assailed me. And finding my opportunity, I
began to send them to the mansion of Yama. Thereupon, in that con-
flict then raging, calculated to annihilate the Nivata-Kavachas on a
sudden, I could not see the Danavas concealed by illusion.' "
SECTION CLXXI
(Nwata-Kavacha-yuddha Parva continued)
"Arjuna continued, 'Remaining invisible the Daityas began to fight
with the help of illusion. And I too fought with them, resorting to the
energy of visible weapons. And the shafts duly discharged from the
Gandiva, began to sever their heads at those different places where they
were respectively stationed. And thus assailed by me in the conflict,
the Nivata-Kavachas, all on a sudden withdrawing the illusion, entered
into their own city. And when the Daityas had fled, and when all had
become visible, I there discovered hundreds and thousands of the slain.
And there I saw by hundreds their shivered weapons, ornaments, limbs,
and mail. And the horses could not find room for moving from one
place to another ; and on a sudden with a bound, they fell to coursing
in the sky. Then remaining invisible, the Nivata-Kavachas covered the
entire welkin with masses of crags. And, O Bharata, other dreadful
Danavas, entering into the entrails of the earth, took up horses' legs
and chariot-wheels. And as I was fighting, they, hard besetting my
horses with rocks, attacked me together with (my) car. And with the
crags that had fallen and with others that were falling, the place where
15
362 MAHABHAEATA
I was, seemed to be a mountain cavern. And on myself being covered
with crags and on the horses being hard pressed, I became sore distressed
and this was marked by Matali. And on seeing me afraid, he said unto
me, 'O Arjuna, Arjuna ! be thou not afraid ; send that weapon, the
thunder-bolt, O lord of men.' Hearing those words of his, I then dis-
charged the favourite weapon of the king of the celestials— the dreadful
thunder-bolt. And inspiring the Gandiva with mantras, I, aiming at the
locality of the crags, shot sharpened iron shafts of the touch of the
thunder- bolt. And sent by the thunder, those adamantine arrows
entered into all those illusions and into the midst of those Nivata-Kava-
chas. And slaughtered by the vehemence of the thunder, those Dana-
vas resembling cliffs, fell to the earth together in masses. And entering
amongst those Danavas that had carried away the steeds of the car into
the interior of the earth, the shafts sent them into the mansion of Yama.
And that quarter was completely covered with the Nivata-Kavachas
that had been killed or baffled, comparable unto cliffs and lying scattered
like crags. And then no injury appeared to have been sustained either
by the horses, or by the car, or by Matali, or by me, and this seemed
strange. Then, O king, Matali addressed me smiling, 'Not in the celes-
tials themselves, O Arjuna, is seen the prowess that is seen in thee. And
when the Danava hosts had been destroyed, all their females began to
bewail in that city, like unto cranes in autumn. Then with Matali I
entered that city, terrifying with the rattling of my car the wives of the
Nivata-Kavachas. Thereupon, seeing those ten thousand horses like
unto peacocks (in hue), and also that chariot resembling the sun, the
women fled in swarms. And like unto (the sounds of) rocks falling on
a mountain, 'sounds arose of the (falling) ornaments of the terrified
dames. (At length), the panic-striken wives of the Daityas entered into
their respective golden palaces variegated with innumerable jewels.
'Beholding that excellent city, superior to the city of the celestials
themselves, I asked Matali, saying, 'Why do not the celestials reside in
such (a place) ? Surely, this appeareth superior to the city of Puran-
dara.' Thereat, Matali said, 'In days of yore, O Partha, ev en this was
the city of our lord of the celestials. Afterwards the celestials were
driven from hence by the Nivata-Kavachas. Hav ing performed the most
rigid austerities, they had gratified the Grand-father and had asked (and
obtained) the boons — namely, that they might reside here, and that they
might be free from danger in wars with the gods.' Then Sakra addressed
the self-create lord saying, 'Do thou, O lord, desirous of our own wel-
fare do what is proper.' Thereupon, O Bharata, in this matter the Lord
commanded (Indra), saying, 4O slayer of foes, in another body, even thou
shalt be (the destroyer of the Danavas).' Then, in order to slaughter
them, Sakra rendered unto thee those weapons. The gods had been unable
VANA PARVA 363
to slay these, who have been slain by thee. O Bharata, in the fullness
of time, hadst thou come hither, in order to destroy them and thou hast
done so. O foremost of men, with the object that the demons might be
killed, Mahendra had conferred on thee the excellent prime energy of
these weapons.'
"Arjuna continued, * After having destroyed the Danavas, and
also subdued that city, with Matali I again went to "that abode of the
celestials.' "
SECTION CLXXII
(Nivata-Kavacha-yuddha Parva continued)
"Arjuna continued, 'Then while returning, I happened to descry
a mighty unearthly city, moving at will, and having the effulgence of
fire or the sun. And that city contained various trees composed of gems,
and sweet-voiced fsathered ones. And furnished with four gates, and
gate-ways, and towers, that impregnable (city) was inhabited by the
Pauiamas and the Kalakanjas. And it was made of all sorts of jewels and
was unearthly, and of wonderful appearance. And it was covered with
trees of all kinds of gems, bearing fruits and flowers And it contained
exceedingly beautiful unearthly birds. And it always swarmed through-
out with cheerful Asuras, wearing garlands, and bearing in their hands
darts, two edged swords, maces, bows, and clubs. And, O king, on
seeing this wonderful city of the Daityas, I asked Matali saying, 'What
is this that looketh so wonderful ?' Thereat, Matali replied, 'Once on
a time a Daitya's daughter, named Pulama and a mighty female of the
Asura order, Kalaka by name, practised severe austerities for a thousand
celestial years. And at the end of their austerities, the self-create con-
ferred on them boons. And, O king of kings, they received these boons,
—that their offspring might never suffer misfortune ; that they might
be incapable of being destroyed even by the gods, the Rakshasas and
the Pannagas ; and that they might obtain a highly effulgent and sur-
passingly fair aerial city, furnished with all manner of gems and invincible
even by the celestials, the Maharshis, the Yakshas, the Gandharvas,
the Pannagas, the Asuras and the Rakshasas. O best of the Bharatas,
this is that unearthly aerial city devoid of the celestials, which is moving
about, having been created for the Kalakeyas, by Brahma himself. And
this city is furnished with all desirable objects, and is unknown of grief
or disease. And, O hero, celebrated under the name of Hiranyapura,
this mighty city is inhabited by the Pauiamas and the Kalakanjas ; and
it is also guarded by those mighty Asuras. And, O king, unslayed by
any of the gods, there they dwell cheerfully, free from anxiety and
having all their desires gratified, O foremost of kings. Formerly,
364 MAHABHABATA
Brahma had destined destruction at the hands of mortals. Do thou, O
Partha, in fight, compass with that weapon — the thunder-bolt— -the
destruction of the mighty and irrespressible Kalakanjas.'
"Ar juna continued, 'O lord of men, learning that they were incap-
able of being destroyed by the celestials and the Asuras, I cheerfully sail
unto Matali, 'Do thou speedily repair into yonder city. With weapons
will I compass the annihilation of the haters of the lord of the celestials.
Surely, there exist no wicked haters of the gods who ought not to be
slain by me/ Thereupon Matali took me to the vicinity of Hiranyapura
on the celestial chariot yoked with steeds. And seeing me, those
of Diti, wearing various kinds of attire and ornament and accoutred in
mail, flew at me with a mighty rush. And those foremost of the Danj
vas, of exceeding prowess, in wrath attacked me with arrows and bhallas
and clubs and two-edged swords, and tomaras. Thereat, O king, resorting
to my strength of lore, I resisted that great volley of weapons by a mighty
shower of shafts ; and also confounded them in conflict by ranging
around in my car. And being bewildered, the Danavas began to pi
each other down. And having been confounded, they rushed at om
another. And with flaming arrows, I severed their heads by hundreds.
And hard pressed by me, the offspring of Diti, taking shelter within
(their) city, soared with it to the firmament, resorting to the illusioi
proper to the Danavas. Thereupon, O son of the Kurus, covering the
way of the Daityas, with a mighty discharge of shafts I obstructed their
course. Then by v irtue of the bestowal of the boon, the Daityas support-
ed themselves easily on that sky-ranging unearthly aerial city, goii
anywhere at will and like unto the sun. And now (the city) entered
unto the earth and now it rose upwards ; and at one time it went in
crooked way and at another time it submerged into water. At this, O
represser of foes, I assailed that mighty city, going anywhere at will,
and resembling Amaravati. And, O best of the Bharatas, I attackec
the city containing those sons of Diti, with multitudes of shafts, display-
ing celestial weapons. And battered and broken by the straight-coursing
iron shafts, shot by me, the city of the Asuras, O king, fell to the earth.
And they also, wounded by my iron arrows having the speed of th<
thunder, began, O monarch, to go about, being urged by destiny. Then
ascending to the sky, Matali, as if falling in front, swiftly descend*
to the earth, on that chariot of solar resplendence. Then, O Bharata,
environed me sixty thousand cars belonging to those wrathful ones eagei
to battle with me. And with sharpened shafts graced with feathers oi
the vulture, I destroyed those (cars). At this, thinking, 'These our
hosts are incapable of being vanquished by mortals, they became engaged
in the conflict, like unto the surges of the sea.' Thereupon I gradu-
ally began to fix (on the string) unearthly weapons. At this, thousands
VANA PARVA 365
of weapons (shot) by those wonderfully warring charioteers, by degrees
opposed my unearthly arms and in the field I saw hundreds and thousands
of mighty (demons) ranging on their cars, in various manoeuvres. And
being furnished with variegated mail and standards and diverse orna-
ments, they delighted my mind. And in the conflict I could not afflict
them by showers of shafts, but they did not afflict me. And being
afflicted by those innumerable ones, equipped in weapons and skilled in
fight, I was pained in that mighty encounter and a terrible fear seized
me. Thereupon collecting (my energies) in fight, I (bowed down) unto
that god of gods, Rudra, and saying, 'May welfare attend on all
beings !' I fixed that mighty weapon which, celebrated under the name
of Raudra, is the destroyer of all foes. Then I beheld a male person
having three heads, nine eyes, three faces, and six arms. And his hair
was flaming like fire or the sun, And, O slayer of foes, for his dress, he
had mighty serpents, putting out their tongues- And saying, O best of
the Bharatas, the dreadful and eternal Raudra, I being free from fear,
set it on the Gandiva ; and, bowing unto the three-eyed Sarv a of immea-
surable energy, let go (the weapon), with the object of vanquishing
those foremost of the Danavas, O Bharata. And, O lord of men, as soon
as it had been hurled, there appeared on the scene by thousands, forms
of deer, and of lions, and of tigers, and of bears and of buffaloes, and of
serpents, and of kine, and of sarabhas, and of elephants, and of apes in
multitudes, and of bulls, and of boars, and of cats, and of dogs, and of
spectres, and of all the Bhurundas, and of vultures, and of Garudas, of
chamaras, and of all the leopards, and of mountains, and of seas, and of
celestials, and of sages, and of all the Gandharvas, and of ghosts with
the Yakshas, and of the haters of the gods, (Asuras), and of the Guhya-
kas in the field, and of the Nairitas and of elephant-mouthed sharks,
and of owls, and of beings having the forms of fishes and horses, and of
beings bearing swords and various other weapons, and of Rakshasas
wielding maces and clubs. And on that weapon being hurled all the
universe became filled with these as well as many others wearing various
shapes. And again and again wounded by beings of various sights with
(pieces of) flesh, fat, bones, and marrow on their persons, — some having
three heads, and some four tusks, and some four mouths, and some four
arms, — the Danavas met with destruction. And, then, O Bharata, in a
moment I slew all those Danavas, with other swarms of arrows compos-
ed of the quintessence of stone, flaming like fire or the sun, and possess-
ed of the force of the thunder-bolt. And, seeing them hewn by the
Gandiva, and deprived of life, and thrown from the sky, I again bowed
unto that god — the Destroyer of Tripura. And, seeing those adorned
with unearthly ornaments, crushed by the weapon, the Raudra,
the charioteer of the celestials, experienced the greatest delight. And
366 MAHAB&ABATA
having witnessed the accomplishment of that unbearable feat incapable
of being achieved even by the celestials themselves, Matali, the chario-
teer of Sakra, paid homage unto me ; and well-pleased, with joint hands
said these words, 'The feat that hath been achieved by thee, is incap-
able of being borne even by the gods, nay,— in battle, the lord of the
celestials himself cannot perform this deed. The sky-coursing mighty
city incapable of being destroyed by the gods and the Asuras hast thou,
O hero, crushed by thy own prowess and by the energy of asceticism.
And when that aerial city had been destroyed, and when the Danavas
also had been slain, their wives, uttering- cries of distress, like unto
Kurari birds, with hair dishevelled came out of the city. And bewail-
ing for their sons and brothers and fathers, they fell on the ground and
cried with distressful accents. And on being deprived of their lords,
they beat their breasts, their garlands and ornaments fallen off. And
that city of Danavas, in appearance like unto the city of the Gandharvas
filled with lamentations and stricken with dole and distress, and bereft
of grace even like unto a lake deprived of (its) elephants, or like unto
a forest deprived of trees and ( deprived of its ) masters, looked no
longer beautiful — but it vanished, like a cloud- construe ted city. And
when I had accomplished the task, ef tsoons from the field Matali took
me of delighted spirits, unto the abode of the lord of the celestials And
having slain those mighty Asuras, and destroyed Hiranyapura, and
having also killed the Nivata-Kavachas, I came unto Indra. And, O
exceedingly resplendent one, as it had fallen out, Matali related in detail
unto Devendra that entire achievement of mine. And with the Maru-
tas, hearing of the destruction of Hiranyapura, of the neutralisation of
the illusion, and of the slaughter of the highly power fulNivatakavachas
in fight, the prosperous thousand- eyed divine Purandara was well-
pleased, and exclaimed, 'Well done ; Well done !' And the king of
the celestials together with the celestials, cheering me again and again,
said these sweet words, 'By thee hath been achieved a feat incapable of
being achieved by the gods and the Asuras. And, O Partha, by slaying
my mighty enemies, thou hast paid the preceptor's fee. And, O Dhanan-
jaya, thus in battle shalt thou always remain calm, and discharge the
weapons unerringly, and there shall not stand thee in fight celestials,
and Danavas, and Rakshasas, and Yakshas, and Asuras, and Gandharvas
and birds and serpents. And, O Kaunteya, by conquering it even by
the might of thy arms, Kunti's son Yudhishthira, will rule the earth/ "
SECTION CLXXIII
(Nivata-Kavacha-yuddha Parva continued)
"Arjuna continued, 'Then firmly confident, the sovereign of the
celestials considering as his own, pertinently said these words unto me
wounded by cleav ing shafts, 'All the celestial weapons, O Bharata, are
with thee, so no man on earth will by any means be able to over-power
thee. And, O son, when thou art in the field, Bhishma and Drona and
Kripa and Kama and Sakuni together with other Kshartriyas shall not
amount unto one-sixteenth part of thee.' And the lord Maghavan
granted me this golden garland and this shell, Devadatta, of mighty
roars, and also his celestial mail impenetrable and capable of protecting
the body. And Indra himself set on my (head)this diadem. And Sakra
presented me with these unearthly apparels and unearthly ornaments,
elegant and rare. In this manner, O king, (duly) honoured, I delight-
fully dwelt in Indra's sacred abode with the children of the Gandharvas.
Then, well-pleased, Sakra together with the celestials, addressed me,
saying, 'O Arjuna, the time hath come for thy departure ; thy brothers
have thought of thee.' Thus, O Bharata, remembering the dissensions
arising from that gambling, did I, O king, pass those five years in the
abode of Indra. Then have I come and seen thee surrounded by our
brothers on the summit of this lower range of the Gandhamadana.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'O Dhananjaya, by fortune it is that the wea-
pons have been obtained by thee ; by fortune it is that the master of
the immortals hath been adored by thee. O represser of foes, by for-
tune it is that the div ine Sthanu together with the goddess had become
manifest unto thee and been gratified by thee in battle, O sinless one ;
by fortune it is that thou hadst met with the Lokapalas, O best of the
Bharatas. O Partha, by fortune it is that we have prospered; and by
fortune it is that thou hast come back. To-day I consider as if the
entire earth engarlanded with cities hath already been conquered, and
as if the sons of Dhritarashtra have already been subdued. Now, O
Bharata, I am curious to behold those celestial weapons wherewith thou
hadst slain the powerful Nivata-Kavachas.' '1
"Thereat Arjuna said, 'Tomorrow in the morning thou wilt see all
the celestial weapons with which I slew the fierce Nivata-Kavachas.' "
Vaisampayana said, "Thus having related (the facts touching)
the arrival, Dhananjaya passed that night there, together with all his
brothers."
SECTION CLXXIV
(Nivata-Kavacha-yuddha Parva continued)
Vaisampayana continued, "And when the night had passed,
Yudhishthira the just, arose and together with his brothers, performed
the necessary duties. He then spake unto Arjuna, that delight of his
mother, saying, 'O Kaunteya, do thou show (me) those weapons with
which thou vanquished the Danavas.1 Thereat, O king, the exceedingly
powerful Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu, duly practising extreme purity,
showed those weapons, O Bharata, which had been given unto him by
the celestials. Dhananjaya seated on the earth, as his chariot, which
had the mountain for its pole, the base of the axle and the cluster of
beautiful-looking bamboo trees for its socket-pole, looked resplendent
with that celestial armour of great lustre, took his bow Gandiva and the
conch-shell given to him by the gods, commenced to exhibit those
celestial weapons in order. And as those celestial weapons had been set,
the Earth being oppressed with tthe feet (of Arjuna), began to tremble
with (its) trees ; and the rivers and the mighty main became vexed ; and
the rocks were riven ; and the air was hushed. And the sun did not
shine ; and fire did not flame ; and by no means did the Vedas of the
twice-born once shine. And, O Janamejaya, the creatures peopling the
interior of the earth, on being afflicted, rose and surrounded the Pan-
dava, trembling with joined hands and contorted countenances. And
bsing burnt by those weapons, they besought Dhananjaya (for their
lives). Then the Brahmarshis, and the Siddhas, and the Maharshis and
the mobile beings — all these appeared (on the scene). And the foremost
Devarshis, and the celestials and the Yakshas and the Rakshasas and
the Gandharvas and the feathered tribes and the (other) sky-ranging
beings — all these appeared (on the scene). And the Great-sire and all
the Lokapalas and the divine Mahadeva, came thither, together with
their followers. Then, O great king, bearing unearthly variegated blos-
soms Vayu (the Wind-god) fell to strewing them around the Pandava.
And sent by the celestials, the Gandharvas chanted various ballads ;
and, O monarch, hosts of the Apsaras danced (there). At such a moment,
O king, sent by the celestials, Narada arrived (there) and addressed
Partha in these sweet words, 'O Arjuna, Arjuna, do thou not discharge
the celestial weapons. These should never be discharged when there
is no object (fit). And when there is an object (present), they should
also by no means be hurled, unless one is sore pressed ; for, O son of the
Kurus, to discharge the weapons (without occasion), is fraught with
great evil. And, O Dhananjaya, being duly kept as thou hast been ins-
tructed to these powerful weapons will doubtless conduce to thy strength
and happiness. But if they are not properly kept, they, O Pandava,
VANA PABVA 369
will become the instrument for the destruction of the three worlds. So
thou shouldst not act in this way again. O Ajatasatru, thou too wilt
behold even these weapons, when Partha will use them for grinding
(thy) enemies in battle/ '
Vaisampayana continued, "Having prevented Partha the immort-
als with others that had come there, went to each his place, O foremost
of men. And, O Kaurava, after they had all gone, the Pandavas began
to dwell pleasantly in the same forest, together with Krishna."
SECTION CLXXV
(Nii'ata-Kavacha-yuddha, Parva continued)
Janamejaya said, "When that prime among heroes, having been
accomplished in arms, had returned from the abode of the slayer of
Vritra, what did Pritha's sons do in company with the warlike
Dhananjaya ?"
Vaisampayana said, "In company with that hero equal unto Indra,
Arjuna— that foremost of men, sported in the pleasure-gardens of the
lord of treasures (situated) in those woods on that romantic and excel-
lent mountain. And surveying those peerless and various pleasure-
grounds filled with diverse trees, that chief of men, Kiriti, ever intent
upon arms, ranged at large, bow in hand. And having through the
grace of king Vaisravana obtained a residence, those sons of a sovereign
cared not for the prosperity of men. And, O king, that period of their
(lives) passed peacefully. And having Partha in their company, they
spent four years there even like a single night. And as the Pandavas
lived in the wood, (these four years) and the former six, numbering ten,
passed smoothly with them.
"Then having seated themselves before the king, the vehement
son of the Wind-god, with Jishnu and the heroic twins, like unto the
lord of the celestials, earnestly addressed the king in these beneficial and
pleasant words, It is only to render thy promise effectual and to
advance thy interests, that, O king of the ICurus, forsaking the forest,
we do not go to slay Suyodhana together with all his followers. Although
deserv ing of happiness, yet hav e we been depriv ed of happiness. And
this is the eleventh year that (in this state) we have been living (in the
forest). And hereafter, deluding that one of evil mind and character,
shall we easily live out the period of non- disco very. And at thy
mandate, O monarch, free from apprehension, we have been ranging the
woods, having relinquished our honour. Hav ing been tempted by our re-
sidence in the vicinity, they (our enemies) will not believe that we have
removed to a distant realm. And after having lived there undiscovered
16
370 MAHABHABATA
for a year, and having wreaked our revenge on that wicked wight,
Suyodhana, with his followers, we shall easily root out that meanest of
men, slaying him and regaining our kingdom. Therefore, O Dharmaraja,
do thou descend unto the earth. For, O king, if we dwell in this region
like unto heaven itself, we shall forget our sorrows. In that case, O
Bharata, thy fame like unto a fragrant flower shall vanish from the
mobile and the immobile worlds. By gaining that kingdom of the Kuru
chiefs, thou wilt b^ able to attain (great glory), and to perform various
sacrifices. This that thou art receiving from Kuvera, thou wilt, O fore-
most of men, be able to attain any time. Now, O Bharata, turn thy
mind towards the punishment and destruction of foes that committed
wrongs. O king, the wielder of the thunderbolt himself is incapable of
standing thy prowess. And intent upon thy welfare, he, having Suparna
for his mark (Krishna), and also the grandson of Sini (Satyaki) never
experience pain, even when engaged in encounter with the gods, O
Dharmaraja. And Arjuna is peerless in strength, and so am I too, O
best of kings. And as Krishna together with the Yadavas is intent upon
thy welfare, so am I also, O foremost of monarchs, and the heroic twins
accomplished in war. And encountering the enemy, we, hav ing for our
main object the attainment by thee of wealth and prosperity, will
destroy them.' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Then having learnt that intention of
theirs, the magnanimous and excellent son of Dharma, versed in religion
and profit, and of immeasurable prowess, went round Vaisrav ana's abode.
And Yudhishthira the just, after bidding adieu unto the palaces, the
rivers, the lakes, and all the Rakshasas, looked towards the way by
which (he) had come (there). And then looking at the mountain also,
the high-souled and pure-minded one besought that best of mountains,
saying, 4O foremost of mountains, may I together with my friends, after
having finished my task, and slain my foes, and regained my kingdom,
see thee again, carrying on austerities with subdued soul.' And this also
he determined on. And in company with his younger brothers and the
Brahmanas, the lord of the Kurus proceeded even along that very road.
And Ghatotkacha with his followers began to carry them over the
mountain cascades. And as they started, the great sage Lomasa, advising
them even as a father doth his son, with a cheerful heart, went unto
the sacred abode of the dwellers of heaven. Then advised also by
Arshtishena, those first of men, the Parthas, went alone beholding
romantic tirthas and hermitages, and other mighty lakes."
SECTION CLXXVI
(Ajagara Parva)
Vaisampayana said, "When they had left their happy home in the
beautiful mountain abounding in cascades, and having birds, and the
elephants of the eight quarters, and the supernatural attendants of
Kuvera (as dwellers thereof), all happiness forsook those foremost of
men of Bharata's race. But afterwards on beholding Kuv era's favourite
mountain, Kailasa, appearing like clouds, the delight of those pre-emi-
nent heroes of the race of Bharata, became very great. And those fore-
most of heroic men, equipped with scimitars and bows, proceeded con-
tentedly, beholding elevations and defiles, and dens of lions and craggy
causeways and innumerable water-falls and lowlands, in different places,
as also other great forests inhabited by countless deer and birds and
elephants. And they came upon beautiful wood-lands and rivers and
lakes and caves and mountain caverns; and these frequently by day and
by night became the dwelling place of those great men. And having
dwelt in all sorts of inaccessible places and crossing Kailasa of incon-
ceivable grandeur, they reached the excellent and surpassingly beautiful
hermitage of Vrishaparba. And meeting king Vrishaparba and received
by him being they became free from depression and then they accu-
rately narrated in detail to Vrishaparba the story of their sojourn in the
mountains. And having pleasantly passed one night in his sacred abode
frequented by gods and Maharshis, those great warriors proceeded
smoothly towards the jujube tree called Visala and took up their quarters
there. Then all those magnanimous men hav ing reached the place of
Narayana, continued to live there, bereft of all sorrow, at beholding
Kuv era's favourite lake, frequented by gods and Siddhas. And viewing
that lake, those foremost of men, the sons of Pandu traversed that
place, renouncing all grief even as immaculate Brahmana rishis (do) on
attaining a habitation in the Nandana gardens. Then all those warriors
having in due course happily lived at Badari for one month, proceeded
towards the realm of Suvahu, king of the Kiratas, by following the same
track by which they had come. And crossing the difficult Himalayan
regions, and the countries of China, Tukhara, Darada and all the
climes of Kulinda, rich in heaps of jewels, those warlike men reached
the capital of Suvahu. And hearing that those sons and grandsons of
kings had all reached his kingdom, Suvahu, elated with joy, advanced
(to meet them). Then the best of the Kurus welcomed him also. And
meeting king Suvahu, and being joined by all their charioteers with
Visoka at their head and by their attendants, Indrasena and others, and
also by the superintendents and servants of the kitchen, they stayed
372 MAHABHABATA
there comfortably for one night. Then taking all the chariots and
chariot-men and dismissing Ghatotkacha together with his followers,
they next repaired to the monarch of mountains in the vicinity of the
Yamuna. In the midst of the mountain abounding in waterfalls anc
having grey and orange-coloured slopes and summits covered with a sheel
of snow, those warlike men having then found the great forest of Visa-
khayupa like unto the forest of Chitraratha and inhabited by wild boars
and various kinds of deer and birds, made it their home. Addicted
hunting as their chief occupation, the sons of Pritha peacefully dwelt ii
that forest for one year. There in a cavern of the mountain, Vrikodara,
with a heart afflicted with distraction and grief, came across a snake of
huge strength, distressed with hunger and looking fierce like death itself.
At this crisis Yudhishthira, the best of pious men, became the protector
of Vrikodara and he, of infinite puissance, extricated Bhima whose whole
body had been fast gripped by the snake with its folds. And the twelfth
year of their sojourn in forests having arrived, those scions of the race
of Kuru, blazing in effulgence, and engaged in asceticism, always
devoted principally to the practice of archery, repaired cheerfully from
that Chitraratha-like forest to the borders of the desert, and desirous of
dwelling by the Saraswati they went there, and from the banks of that
river they reached the lake of Dwaitabana. Then seeing them enter
Dwaitabana, the dwellers of that place engaged in asceticism, religious
ordinances, and self-restraning exercises and in deep and devout medita-
tion and subsisting on things ground with stone (for want of teeth)
having procured grass-mats and water-vessels, advanced to meet them.
The holy fig, the rudraksha, the rohitaka, the cane and the jujube, the
catechu, the sirisha, the bel and the inguda and the karira and pilu and
sami trees grew on the banks of the Saraswati. Wandering about with
contentment in (the vicinity of) the Saraswati which was, as it were, the
home of the celestials, and the favourite (resort) of Yakshas and Gan-
dharvas and Maharshis, those sons of kings lived there in happiness."
SECTION CLXXVII
(Ajagara Parva continued)
Janamejaya said, "How was it, O sage ! that Bhima, of mighty
prowess and possessing the strength of ten thousand elephants, was
stricken with panic at (the sight of) that snake ? Thou hast described
him, that slayer of his enemies, as dismayed and appalled with fear, even
him, who by fighting at the lotus lake (of Kuvera) became the destroyer
of Yakshas and Rakshasas and who, in proud defiance, invited to a
single combat, Pulastya's son, the dispenser of all riches. I desire to
hear this (from you) ; great indeed is my curiosity."
VANA PABVA 373
Vaisampayana continued, "O king, having reached king Vrisha-
parva's hermitage, while those fearful warriors were living in various
wonderful woods, Vrikodara roaming at pleasure, with bow in hand and
armed with a scimitar, found that beautiful forest, frequented by gods
and Gandharvas. And then he beheld (some) lovely spots in the Hima-
layan mountains, frequented by Devarshis and Siddhas and inhabited
by hosts of Apsaras, resounded here and there with (the warbling of)
birds— the chakora, the chakrabaka, the jibajibaka and the cuckoo and
the Bhringaraja, and abounding with shady trees, soft with the touch
of snow and pleasing to the eye and mind, and bearing perennial fruits
and flowers. And he beheld mountain streams with waters glistening
like the lapis lazuli and with ten thousand snow-white dusks and swans
and with forests of deodar trees forming (as it were) a trap for the
clouds ; and with tugna and kalikaya forests, interspersed with yellow
sandal trees. And he of mighty strength, in the pursuit of the chase,
roamed in the level and desert tracts of the mountain, piercing his game
with unpoisoned arrows. In that forest the famous and mighty
Bhimasena, possessing the strength of a hundred elephants, killed (many)
large wild boars, with the force (of his arms). And endowed with terrible
prowess and mighty strength, and powerful as the lion or the tiger, and
capable of resisting a hundred men, and having long arms, and possess-
ing the strength of a hundred elephants, he killed many antelopes and
wild boars and buffaloes. And here and there, in that forest he pulled
out trees by the roots, with great violence and broke them too, causing
the earth and the woods and the (surrounding) places to resound. And
then shouting and trampling on the tops of mountains, and causing the
earth to resound with his roars, and striking his arms, and uttering his
war-cry, and slapping and clapping his hands, Bhimasena, exempt from
decay, and ever-proud and without fear, again and again leaped about
in those woods. And on hearing the shouts of Bhimasena, powerful
lions and elephants of huge strength, left their lairs in fright. And in
that same forest, he fearlessly strolled about in search of game ; and like
the denizens of the woods, that most valiant of men, the mighty Bhima-
sena, wandered on foot in that forest. And he penetrated the vast
forest, shouting strange whoops, and terrifying all creatures, endowed
with strength and prowess. And then being terrified, the snakes hid
(themselves) in caves, but he, overtaking them with promptitude, pur-
sued them slowly. Then the mighty Bhimasena, like unto the Lord of
the Celestials, saw a serpent of colossal proportions, lying in one of the
mountain fastnesses and covering the (entire) cave with its body and
causing one's hair to stand on end (from fright). It had its huge body
stretched like a hillock, and it possessed gigantic strength, and its body
was speckled with spots and it had a turmeric-like (yellow) colour and
374 MAHABHAEATA
a deep copper-coloured mouth of the form of a cave supplied with four
teeth ; and with glaring eyes, it was constantly licking the corners of its
mouth. And it was the terror of all animated beings and it looked like
the very image of the Destroyer Yama ; and with the hissing noise of
its breath it lay as if rebuking (an in-comer). And seeing Bhima draw
so near to him, the serpent, all on a sudden, became greatly enraged,
and that goat-devouring snake violently seized Bhimasena in his grip.
Then by virtue of the boon that had been received by the serpent,
Bhimasena with his body in the serpent's grip, instantly lost all cons-
ciousness. Unrivalled by that of others, the might of Bhimasena' s arms
equalled the might of ten thousand elephants combined. But Bhima,
of great prowess, being thus vanquished by the snake, trembled slowly,
and was unable to exert himself. And that one of mighty arms and of
leonine shoulders, though possessed of strength of ten thousand
elephants, yet seized by the snake, and overpowered by virtue of the
boon, lost all strength. He struggled furiously to extricate himself, but
did not succeed in any wise baffling this (snake)."
SECTION CLXXVIII
(Ajagara Parva continued)
Vaisampayana continued, "And the powerful Bhimasena, having
thus come under the power of the snake, thought of its mighty and
wonderful prowess ; and said unto it, 'Be thou pleased to tell me, O
snake, who thou art. And, O foremost of reptiles, what wilt thou do
with me ? I am Bhimasena, the son of Pandu, and next by birth to
Yudhishthira the just. And endued as I am with the strength of ten
thousand elephants, how hast thou been able to overpower me ? In
fight have been encountered and slain by me innumerable lions, and
tigers, and buffaloes, and elephants. And, O best of serpents, mighty
Rakshasas, and Pisachas, and Nagas, are unable to stand the force of my
arms. Art thou possessed of any magic, or hast thou received any
boon, that although exerting myself, I have been overcome by thee ?
Now I have been convinced that the strength of men is false, for, O
serpent, by thee hath such mighty strength of men been baffled.'
Vaisampayana continued, "When the heroic Bhima of noble deed
had said this, the snake caught him, and coiled him all round with his
body, having thus subdued that mighty-armed one, and freed his plump
arms alone, the serpent spake these words, 'By good fortune it is that,
myself being hungry, after long time the gods have to-day destined thee
for my food ; for life is dear unto every embodied being, I should relate
unto thee the way in which I have come by this snake form. Hear, O
best of the pious, I have fallen into this plight on account of the wrath
of the Maharshis. Now desirous of getting rid of the curse, I will
VANA PABVA 375
narrate unto thee all about it. Thou hast, no doubt, heard of the royal
sage, Nahusha. He was the son of Ayu, and the perpetuator of the line
of thy ancestors. Even I am that one. For having affronted the Brah-
manas I, by (virtue of) Agastya's malediction, have come by this condi-
tion. Thou art my agnate, and lovely to behold, — so thou shouldst not
be slain by me, — yet I shall to-day devour thee ! Do thou behold
the dispensation of Destiny ! And be it a buffalo, or an elephant,
none coming within my reach at the sixth division of the day, can,
O best of men, escape. And, O best of the Kurus, thou hast not been
taken by an animal of the lower order, hav ing strength alone, — but
this (hath been so) by reason only of the boon I have received.
As I was falling rapidly from Sakra's throne placed on the front of his
palace, I spake unto that worshipful sage (Agastya), 'Do thou free me
from this curse.' Thereat filled with compassion, that energetic one
said unto me, 'O king, thou shalt be freed after the lapse of some time.1
Then I fell to the earth (as a snake) ; but my recollection (of former
life) did not renounce me. And although it be so ancient, I still re-
collect all that was said. And the sage said unto me, 'That person who,
conversant with the relation subsisting between the soul and the
supreme Being, shall be able to answer the questions put by thee, shall
deliver thee. And, O king, taken by thee, strong beings superior to
thee, shall immediately lose their strength. I heard these words of those
compassionate ones, who felt attached unto me. And then the Brah-
manas vanished. Thus, O highly effulgent one, having become a
serpent, I, doing exceedingly sinful acts, live in unclean hell, in expecta-
tion of the (appointed) time.' The mighty-armed Bhimasena addressed
the serpent, saying, 1 am not angry, O mighty snake, — nor do I blame
myself. Since in regard to happiness and misery, men sometimes
possess the power of bringing and dismissing them, and sometimes do
not. Therefore one should not fret one's mind. Who can baffle destiny
by self -exertion ? I deem destiny to be supreme, and self-exertion to
be of no avail. Smitten with the stroke of destiny, the prowess of my
arms lost, behold me to-day fallen unto this condition without palpable
cause. But to-day I do not so much grieve for my own self being slain,
as I do for my brothers deprived of their kingdom, and exiled into the
forest. This Himalaya is inaccessibie, and abounds with Yakshas and
the Rakshasas. And searching about for me, they will be distracted. And
hearing that I have been killed, (my brothers) will forego all exertion,
for, firm in promise, they have hitherto been controlled by my harsh
speech, I being desirous of gaining the kingdom. Or the intelligent
Arjuna (alone), being versed in every lore, and incapable of being
overcome by gods and Rakshasas and Gandharvas, will not be afflicted
with grief. That mighty -armed and exceedingly powerful one is able
376 MAHABHAEATA
single-handed to speedily pull down from his place even the celestials.
What shall I say of the deceitfully gambling son of Dhritarashtra,
detested of all men, and filled with haughtiness and ignorance ! And I
also grieve for my poor mother, affectionate to her sons, who is ever
solicitous for our greatness in a larger measure than is attained by our
enemies. O serpent, the desire that forlorn one had in me will all be
fruitless in consequence of my destruction. And gifted with manliness,
the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva, following their elder brother (me),
and always protected by the strength of my arms, will, owing to my
destruction, be depressed and deprived of their prowess, and stricken
with grief. This is what I think.' In this way Vrikodara lamented
profusely. And being bound by the body of the snake, he could not
exert himself.
"On the other hand, Kunti's son, Yudhishthira, (seeing) and
reflecting on dreadful ill omens, became alarmed. Terrified by the blaze
of the points of the horizon, jackals stationing themselves on the right
of that hermitage, set up frightful and inauspicious yells. And ugly
Vartikas as of dreadful sight, having one wing, one eye, and one leg,
were seen to vomit blood, facing the sun. And the wind began to
blow dryly, and violently, attracting grits. And to the right all the
beasts and birds began to cry. And in the rear the black crows cried,
'Go f 'Go f And momentarily his (Yudhishthir's) right arm began to
twitch, and his chest and left leg shook (of themselves). And indicating
evil his left eye contracted spasmodically. Thereupon, O Bharata, the
intelligent Yudhishthira the just, inferring some great calamity (to be
imminent), asked Draupadi, saying, 'Where is Bhima ?' Thereat Panchali
said that Vrikodara had long gone out. Hearing this, that mighty-armed
king set out with Dhaumya, after having said unto Dhananjaya, 'Thou
shouldst protect Draupadi.' And he also directed Nakula and Sahadeva
to protect the Brahmanas. And issuing from the hermitage that lord,
Kunti's son, following the footprints of Bhimasena, began to search for
him in that mighty forest. And on coming to the east, he found mighty
leaders of elephant-herds (slain) and saw the earth marked with Bhima's
(foot-prints). Then seeing thousands of deer and hundreds of lions lying
in the forest, the king ascertained his course. And on the way were scat-
tered trees pulled down by the wind caused by the things of that hero
endued with the speed of the wind as he rushed after the deer. And
proceeding, guided by those marks, to a spot filled with dry winds and
abounding in leafless vegetables, brackish and devoid of water, covered
with thorny plants and scattered over with gravel, stumps and shrubs
and difficult of access and uneven and dangerous, he saw in a mountain-
cavern his younger brother motionless, caught in the folds of that
foremost of snakes."
SECTION CLXXIX
(Ajagara Parva contimied)
Vaisampayana continued, "Yudhishthira, finding his beloved brother
coiled by the body of the serpent, said these words : 4O son of Kunti, how
hast thou come by this misfortune ! And who is this best of serpents
having a body like unto a mountain mass ?' Bhimasena said, 1O worship-
ful one, this mighty being hath caught me for food ! He is the royal sage
Nahusha liv ing in the form of a serpent.' Yudhishthira said, 'O long-
lived one, do thou free my brother of immeasurable prowess : we will
give thee some other food, which will appease thy hunger.1 The serpent
said, 'I have got for diet even this son of a king, come to my mouth
of himself. Do thou go away. Thou shouldst not stay here. (If thou
remainest here) thou too shall be my fare to-morrow. O mighty-armed
one, this is ordained in respect of me, that he that cometh unto my
place, becometh my food and thou too art in my quarter. After a long
time have I got thy younger brother as my food ; I will not let him off ;
neither do I like to have any other food.' Thereat Yudhishthira said,
'O serpent, whether thou art a god, or a demon, or an Uraga, do thou tell
me truly, it is Yudhishthira that asketh thee, wherefore, O snake, hast
thou taken Bhimasena ? By obtaining which, or by knowing what wilt
thou receive satisfaction, O snake, and what food shall I give thee ? And
how mayst thou free him ?' The serpent said, 'O sinless one, I was thy
ancestor, the son of Ayu and fifth in descent from the Moon. And I
was a king celebrated under the name of Nahusha. And by sacrifices
and asceticism and study of the Vedas and self-restraint and prowess I
had acquired a permanent dominion over the three worlds. And when
I had obtained such dominion, haughtiness possessed me. And thousands
of Brahmanas were engaged in carrying my chair. And intoxicated by
supremacy, I insulted those Brahmanas. And, O lord of the earth, by
Agastya have I been reduced to this pass ! Yet, O Panda v a, to this day
the memory (of my former birth) hath not forsaken me ! And, O king,
even by the favour of that high-souled Agastya, during the sixth
division of the day have I got for meal thy younger brother. Neither
will I set him free, nor do I wish for any other food. But if to-day thou
answerest the questions put by me, then, I shall deliver Vrikodara f
At this Yudhishthira said, 'O serpent, ask whatever thou listest ! I
shall, if I can, answer thy questions with the view of gratifying thee, O
snake ! Thou knowest fully what should be known by Brahmanas.
Therefore, O king of snakes, hearing (thee) I shall answer thy queries !'
The serpent said, 'O Yudhishthira, say — Who is a Brahmana and
what should be known ? By thy speech I infer thee to be highly intelli-
gent.1
17
378 MAHABHABATA
"Yudhishthira said, 'O foremost of serpents, he, it is asserted by
the wise, in whom are seen truth, charity, forgiveness, good conduct,
benevolence, observance of the rites of his order and mercy is a Brah-
mana. And, O serpent, that which should be known is even the supreme
Brahma, in which is neither happiness nor misery — and attaining which
beings are not affected with misery ; what is thy opinion ?'
"The serpent said, 'O Yudhishthira, truth, charity, forgiveness,
benevolence, benignity, kindness and the Veda1 which worketh the
benefit of the four orders, which is the authority in matters of religion
and which is true, are seen even in the Sudra. As regards the object
to be known and which thou allegest is without both happiness and
misery, I do not see any such that is devoid of these.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'Those characteristics that are present in a
Sudra, do not exist in a Brahmana ; nor do those that are in a Brahmana
exist in a Sudra. And a Sudra is not a Sudra by birth alone— nor a Brah-
mana is Brahmana by birth alone. He, it is said by the wise, in whom
are seen those virtues is a Brahmana. And people term him a Sudra
in whom those qualities do not exist, even though he be a Brahmana by
birth. And again, as for thy assertion that the object to be known (as
asserted by me) doth not exist, because nothing exists that is devoid of
both (happiness and misery), such indeed is the opinion, O serpent, that
nothing exists that is without (them) both. But as in cold, heat doth
not exist, nor in heat, cold, so there cannot exist an object in which both
(happiness and misery) cannot exist ?'
"The serpent said, 'O king, if thou recognise him as a Brahmana by
characteristics, then, O long-lived one, the distinction of caste becometh
futile as long as conduct doth not come into play/
"Yudhishthira said, In human society, O mighty and highly intelli-
gent serpent, it is difficult to ascertain one's caste, because of promis-
cuous intercourse among the four orders. This is my opinion. Men be-
longing to all orders (promiscuously) begot offspring upon women of all
the orders. And of men, speech, sexual intercourse, birth and death
are common. And to this the Rishis have borne testimony by using as
the beginning of a sacrifice such expressions as, — of what caste soever we
may be, we celebrate the sacrifice. Therefore, those that are wise have
asserted that character is the chief essential requisite. The natal cere-
mony of a person is performed before division of the umbilical cord. His
mother then acts as Sav itri and his father officiates as priest. He is
considered as a Sudra as long as he is not initiated in the Vedas. Doubts
having arisen on this point, O prince of serpents, Sayambhuba
1 In as much as the rites performed by the Sudras have their origin
in the Vedas,
VANA PAKVA 379
Manti has declared, that the mixed castes are to be regarded as better
than the (other) classes, if having gone through the ceremonies of puri-
fication, the latter do not conform to the rules of good conduct, O
excellent snakes ! Whosoever now conforms to the rules of pure and
virtuous conduct, him have I, erenow, designated as a Brahmana.' The
serpent replied, 'O Yudhishthira, thou art acquainted with all that is fit
to be known and having listened to thy words, how can I (now) eat up
thy brother Vrikodara f "
SECTION CLXXX
(Ajagara Parva continued)
"Yudhishthira said, In this world, you are so learned in the Vedas
and Vedangas ; tell me (then), what one should do to attain salvation ?'
"The serpent replied, 'O scion of the Bharata's race, my belief is
that the man who bestows alms on proper objects, speaks kind words and
tells the truth and abstains from doing injury to any creature goes to
heaven.'
"Yudhishthira enquired, 'Which, O snake, is the higher of the two,
truth or alms-giving ? Tell me also the greater or less importance of
kind behaviour and of doing injury to no creature.1
"The snake replied, 'The relative merits of these virtues, truth
and alms-giving, kind speech and abstention from injury to any crea-
ture, are known (measured) by their objective gravity (utility). Truth
is (sometimes) more praiseworthy than some acts of charity ; some of
the latter again are more commendable than true speech. Similarly, O
mighty king, and lord of the earth, abstention from doing injury to
any creature is seen to be important than good speech and vice versa.
Even so it is, O king, depending on effects. And now, if thou hast
anything else to ask, say it all, I shall enlighten thee !' Yudhishthira
said, 'Tell me, O snake, how the incorporeal being's translation to
heaven, its perception by the senses and its enjoyment of the immutable
fruits of its actions (here belowj, can be comprehended.' The snake
replied, 'By his own acts, man is seen to attain to one of the three
conditions of human existence, of heavenly life, or of birth in the lower
animal kingdom. Among these, the man who is not slothful, who
injures no one and who is endowed with charity and other virtues,
goes to heaven, after leav ing this world of men. By doing the very
contrary, O king, people are again born as men or as lower animals.
O my son, it is particularly said in this connection, that the man who
is swayed by anger and lust and who is given to avarice and malice
falls away from his human state and is born again as a lower animal,
and the lower animals too are ordained to be transformed into the
human state : and the cow, the horse and other animals are observed
380
MASABHABATA
to attain to ev en the divine state.1 O my son, the sentient being,
reaping the fruits of his actions, thus transmigrates through these condi-
tions ; but the regenerate and wise man reposes his soul in the ever-
lasting Supreme Spirit. The embodied spirit, enchained by destiny and
reaping the fruits of its own actions, thus undergoes birth after birth
but he that has lost touch of his actions, is conscious of the immutable
destiny of all born beings.' 2
"Yudhishthira asked, 'O snake, tell me truly and without confusion
how that dissociated spirit becomes cognisant of sound, touch, form,
flavour, and taste. O great-minded one, dost thou not perceive them,
simultaneously by the senses ? Do thou, O best of snakes, answer all
these queries !' The snake replied, 'O long-lived one, the thing called
Atman (spirit), betaking itself to corporeal tenement and manifesting
itself through the organs of sense, becomes duly cognisant of perceptible
objects. O prince of Bharata's race, know that the senses, the mind, and
the intellect, assisting the soul in its perception of objects, are called
Karanas. O my son, the eternal spirit, going out of its sphere, and aided
by the mind, acting through the senses, the receptacles of all percep-
tions, successively perceives these things (sound, form, flavour, &c). O
most valiant of men, the mind of living creatures is the cause of all per-
ception, and, therefore, it cannot be cognisant of more than one thing
at a time. That spirit, O foremost of men, betaking itself to the space
between the eyebrows, sends the high and low intellect to different
objects. What the Yogins perceive after the action of the intelligent
principle, by that is manifested the action of the soul.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me the distinguishing characteristics of
the mind and the intellect. The knowledge of it is ordained as the chief
duty of persons meditating on the Supreme Spirit.'
"The snake replied, 'Through illusion, the soul bscomes subser-
vient to the intellect. The intellect, though known to be subservient to
the soul, becomes (then) the director of the latter. The intellect is
brought into play by acts of perception ; the mind is self-existent. The
intellect does not cause the sensation (as of pain, pleasure, &c), but the
mind does. This, my son, is the difference between the mind and the
intellect. You too are learned in this matter, what is your opinion ?'
"Yudhishthira said, 'O most intelligent one, you have fine intelli-
gence and you know all that is fit to be known. Why do you ask me that
1 More literally, the state of the gods. It may appropriately be re-
marked here that the ordinary Hindu gods, of the post-Vedic period, like
the gods of Ancient Greece and Italy, were simply a class of superhuman
beings, distinctly contra-distinguished from the Supreme Spirit, the
Paramatman or Parabrahma. After death, a virtuous man was supposed
to be transformed into one of these so-called gods.
2 This is the well-known and popular doctrine of transmigration of souls.
VANA PARVA 381
question ? You knew all and you performed such wonderful deeds and
you lived in heaven. How could then illusion overpower you ? Great
is my doubt on this point.' The snake replied, 'Prosperity intoxicates
even the wise and valiant men. Those who live in luxury, (soon) lose
their reason. So, I too, O Yudhishthira, overpowered by the infatuation
of prosperity, have fallen from my high state and having recovered my
self-conciousness, am enlightening thee thus ! O victorious king, thou
hast done me a good turn. By conversing with thy pious self, my pain-
ful curse has been expiated. In days of yore, while I used to sojourn in
heaven, in a celestial chariot, revelling in my pride, I did not think of
anything else, I used to exact tribute from Brahmarshis, Devas, Yakshas,
Gandharvas, Rakshasas, Pannagas and all other dwellers of ?he three
worlds. O lord of earth, such was the spell of my eyes, that on what-
ever creature, I fixed them, I instantly destroyed his power. Thousands
of Brahmarshis used to draw my chariot. The delinquency, O king, was
the cause of my fall from my high prosperity. Among them, Agastya
was one day drawing my conveyance, and my feet came in contact with
his body ; Agastya then pronounced (this curse) on me, in anger,
'Ruin seize thee, do thou become a snake.' So, losing my glory, I fell
down from that excellent car and while falling, I beheld myself turned
into a snake, with head downwards. I thus implored that Brahmaria,
'May this curse be extinguished, O adorable one ! You ought to forgive
one who has been so foolish from infatuation.' Then he kindly told me
this, as I was being hurled down (from heaven), 'The virtuous king
Yudhishthira will save thee from this curse, and when, O king, hor-
rible sin of pride will be extinguished (in thee), thou shalt attain salva-
tion.' And I was struck with wonder on seeing (this) power of his aus-
tere virtues ; and therefore, have I questioned thee about the attributes
of the Supreme Spirit and of Brahmanas. Truth, charity, self-restraint,
penance, abstention from doing injury to any creature, and constancy in
virtue, these, O king, and not his race or family connections, are the
means, by which a man must always secure salv ation. May this brother
of thine, the mighty Bhimasena, meet with good luck and may happi-
ness abide with thee ! I must go to Heaven again.' '
Vaisampayana continued, "So saying, that king, Nahusha, quitted
his serpentine form, and assuming his celestial shape he went back
to Heaven. The glorious and pious Yudhishthira, too, returned to his
hermitage with Dhaumya and his brother Bhima. Then the virtuous
Yudhishthira narrated all that, in detail, to the Brahmanas who had
assembled (there). On hearing that, his three brothers and all the Brah-
manas and the renowned Draupadi too were covered with shame. And
all those excellent Brahmanas desiring the welfare of the Pandavas,
admonished Bhima for his foolhardiness, telling him not to attempt such
things again, and the Pandavas too were greatly pleased at seeing the
mighty Bhima out of danger, and continued to live there pleasantly."
SECTION CLXXXI
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva )
Vaisampayana said, "While they were dwelling at that place,
there set in the season of the rains, the season that puts an end to the
hot weather and is delightful to all animated beings. Then the black
clouds, rumbling loudly, and covering the heavens and the cardinal
points, ceaselessly rained during day and night. These clouds, counted
by hundreds and by thousands, looked like domes in the rainy season.
From the earth disappeared the effulgence of the sun ; its place was
taken by the stainless lustre of the lightning ; the earth became delight-
ful to all,, being overgrown with grass, with gnats and reptiles in their
joy ; it was bathed with rain and possessed with calm. When the
waters had covered all, it could not be known whether the ground
was at all even or uneven : — whether there were rivers or trees or
hills. At the end of the hot season, the rivers added beauty to the
woods, being themselves full of agitated waters, flowing with great force
and resembling serpents in the hissing sound they made. The boars,
the stags, and the birds, while the rain was falling upon them began to
utter sounds of various kinds which could be heard within the forest
tracts. The chatakas, the peacocks and the host of male Kokilas and the
excited frogs, all ran about in joy. Thus while the Panda v as were
roaming about in the deserts and sandy tracts, the happy season of rain,
so various in aspect and resounding with clouds passed away. Then set
in the season of autumn, thronged with ganders and cranes and full of
joy ; then the forest tracts were overrun with grass ; the river turned
limpid ; the firmament and stars shone brightly. And the autumn,
thronged with beasts and birds, was joyous and pleasant for the magna-
nimous sons of Pandu. Then were seen nights, that were free from dust
and cool with clouds and beautified by myriads of planets and stars and
the moon. And they beheld rivers and ponds, adorned with lilies and
white lotuses, full of cool and pleasant water. And while roving by
the river Saraswati whose banks resembled the firmament itself and
were overgrown with canes, and as such abounded in sacred baths,
their joy was great. And those heroes who wielded powerful bows,
were specially glad to see the pleasant riv er Saraswati, with its limpid
waters full to the brim. And, O Janamejaya, the holiest night, that of
the full moon in the month of Kartika in the season of autumn, was
spent by them while dwelling there ! And the sons of Pandu, the best
of the descendants of Bharata, spent that auspicious juncture with
righteous and magnanimous saints devoted to penance. And as soon as
the dark fortnight set in immediately after, the sons of Pandu entered
the forest named the Kamyaka, accompanied by Dhananjaya and their
charioteers and cooks."
SECTION CLXXXII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "O son of Kuru, they, Yudhishthira and
others, having reached the forest of Kamyaka, were hospitably receiv-
ed by hosts of saints and they lived together with Krishna. And while
the sons of Pandu were dwelling in security in that place, many Brahma-
nas came to wait upon them. And a certain Brahmana said, 'He, the
beloved friend of Arjuna, of powerful arms and possessed of self-
control, descendant of Sura, of a lofty intellect, will come, for, O ye
foremost of the descendants of Kuru, Hari knows that ye have arrived
here. For, Hari has always a longing for your sight and always seeks
your welfare. And Markandeya, who lived very many years devoted
to great austerities, given to study and penance, will erelong come and
meet you.' And the very moment that he was uttering these words,
there was beheld Krishna, coming thitherward upon a car unto which
were yoked the horses Saivya and Sugriva,— he the best of those that
ride on cars, accompanied by Satyabhama, is like Indra by Sachi, the
daughter of Pulaman. And the son of Devaki came, desirous to see
those most righteous of the descendants of Kuru. And the sagacious
Krishna, having alighted from the car, prostrated himself, with pleas-
ure in his heart, before the virtuous king, in the prescribed way, and
also before Bhima, that foremost of powerful men. And he paid his
respects to Dhaumya, while the twin brothers prostrated themselves to
him. And he embraced Arjuna of the curly hair ; -and spoke words of
solace to the daughter of Drupada. And the descendant of the chief of
the Dasaratha tribe, that chastiser of foes, when he saw the beloved
Arjuna come near him, having seen him after a length of time, clasped
him again and again. And so too Satyabhama also, the beloved consort
of Krishna, embraced the daughter of Drupada, the beloved wife of the
sons of Pandu. Then these sons of Pandu, accompanied by their wife
and priests, paid their respects to Krishna, whose eyes resembled the
white lotus and surrounded him on all sides. And Krishna, when united
with Arjuna, the son of Pritha, the winner of riches and the terror of
the demons assumed a beauty comparable to that of Siva, the magnani-
mous lord of all created beings, when he, the mighty lord, is united with
Kartikeya (his son). And Arjuna, who bore a circlet of crowns on his
head, gave an account of what had happened to him in the forest to
Krishna, the elder brother of Gada. And Arjuna asked, saying, 'How
is Subhadra, and her son Abhimanyu ? And Krishna, the slayer of
Madhu, having paid his respects in the prescribed form to the son of
Pritha, and to the priest, and seating himself with them there, spoke to
king Yudhishthira, in words of praise. And he said, 'O king, Virtue is
preferable to the winning of kingdoms ; it is, in fact, practice of aus-
384 MAHABHAEATA
terities ! By you who hav e obeyed with truth and candour what your
duty prescribed, have been won both this world and that to come !
First you have studied, while performing religious duties ; having
acquired in a suitable way the whole science of arms, having won
wealth by pursuing the methods prescribed for the mililary caste, you
have celebrated all the time-honoured sacrificial rites. You take no
delight in sensual pleasures ; you do not act, O lord of men, from
motives of enjoyment, nor do you swerve from virtue from greed of
riches ; it is for this, you have been named the Virtuous King, O son
of Pritha ! Having won kingdoms and riches and means of enjoyment
your best delight has bee a charity and truth and practice of austerities,
O king, and faith and meditation and forbearance and patience !
When the population of Kuru-jangala beheld Krishna outraged in
the assembly hall, who but yourself could brook that conduct, O
Pandu's son, which was so repugnant both to virtue and usage ?
No doubt, you will, before long, rule over men in a praiseworthy way,
all your desires being fulfilled. Here are we prepared to chastise the
Kurus, as soon as the stipulation made by you is fully performed ! And
Krishna, the foremost of the Dasarha tribe, then said to Dhaumya and
Bhima and Yudhishthira, and the twins and Krishna, 'How fortunate
that by your blessing Arjuna, the bearer of the coronet, has arrived after
having acquired the science of arms !' And Krishna, the leader of the
Dasarha tribe, accompanied by friends, likewise spoke to Krishna, the
daughter of Yajnasena, saying, 'How fortunate that you are united,
safe and secure, with Arjuna, the winner of riches f And Krishna also
said, 'O Krishna, O daughter of Yajnasena, those sons of yours,
are devoted to the study of the science of arms, are well-behaved and
conduct themselves on the pattern, O Krishna, of their righteous friends.
Your father and your uterine brothers proffer them a kingdom and
territories ; but the boys find no joy in the house of Drupada, or in that
of their maternal uncles. Safely proceeding to the land of the Anartas,
they take the greatest delight in the study of the science of arms. Your
sons enter the town of the Vrishnis and take an immediate liking to
the people there. And as you would direct them to conduct themselves,
or as the respected Kunti would do, so does Subhadra direct them in a
watchful way. Perhaps, she is still more careful of them. And, O
Krishna, as Rukmini's son is the preceptor of Aniruddha, of Abhi-
manyu, of Sunitha, and of Bhanu : so he is the preceptor and the refuge
of your sons also ! And a good preceptor, would unceasingly give
them lessons in the wielding of maces and swords and bucklers, in
missiles and in the arts of driving cars and of riding horses, being
valiant. And he, the son of Rukmini, having bestowed a very good
training upon them, and hav ing taught them the art of using various
VANA I>AKVA 385
weapons in a proper way, takes satisfaction at the valorous deeds of
your sons, and of Abhimanyu, O daughter of Drupada ! And when
your son goes out, in pursuit of ( out-door ) sports, each one of them is
followed thither by cars and horses and vehicles and elephants.' And
Krishna said to the virtuous king, Yudhishthira, The fighting men of
the Dasarha tribe, and the Kukuras, and the Andhakas— let these, O
king, place themselves at thy command— let them perform what thou
desirest them. O lord of men, let the army of the tribe of Madhus,
(resistless) like the wind, with their bows and led by Balarama whose
weapon is the plough— let that army, equipped (for war), consisting of
horsemen and foot soldiers and horses and cars and elephants, prepare
to do your bidding. O son of Pandu I Drive Duryodhana, the son of
Dhritarashtra, the vilest of sinful men, together with his followers and
his hosts of friends to the path betaken by the lord of Saubha, the son of
the Earth I You, O ruler of men, are welcome to stick to that stipula-
tion which was made in the assembly-hall — but let the city of Hastina
be made ready for you, when the hostile force has been slain by the
soldiers of the Dasarha tribe ! Having roamed at your pleasure in all
those places where you may desire to go, having got rid of your grief and
freed from all your sins — you will reach the city of Hastina— the well-
known city situated in the midst of a fine terrority f — Then the magna-
nimous king having been acquainted with the view, thus clearly set
forth by Krishna that best of men, and, hav ing applauded the same, and
having deliberated, thus spoke with joined palms unto Kesava, 'O Kesava,
no doubt, thou art the refuge of the sons of Pandu ; for the sons of
Pandu have their protector in thee ! When the time will come, there is
no doubt that thou wilt do all the work just mentioned by thee ; and
even more than the same ! As promised by us, we have spent all the
twelve years in lonely forests. O Kesava, having in the prescribed way
completed the period for living unrecognised, the sons of Pandu will
take refuge in thee. This should be the intention of those that associate
with thee, O Krishna ! The sons of Pandu swerve not from the path of
truth, for the sons of Pritha with their charity and their piety with their
people and their wives and with their relations have their protector in
thee f "
Vaisampayana said, 'O descendant of Bharata, while Krishna, the
descendant of the Vrishnis and th > virtuous king, were thus talking, their
appeared then the saint Markandeya, grown grey in the practise of
penances. And he had seen many thousand years of life, was of a pious
soul, and devoted to great austerities. Signs of old age he had none ;
and deathless he was, -and endued with beauty and generous and many
good qualities. And he looked like one only twenty-fiv e years old. And
when the aged saint, who had seen many thousand years of life, came,
18
385 MAHABHARATA
all the Brahmanas paid their respects to him and so did Krishna together
with Pandu's son. And when that wisest saint, thus honoured, took his
seat in a friendly way, Krishna addressed him, in accordance with the
views of the Brahmanas and of Pandu's sons, thus, —
The sons of Pandu, and the Brahmanas assembled here, and th(
daughter of Drupada, and Satyabhama, likewise myself, are all anxioi
to hear your most excellent words, O Markandeya ! Propound to us
holy stories of ev ents of bygone times, and the eternal rules of righl
conduct by which are guided kings and women and saints !'
Vaisampayana continued, "When they had all taken their seat
Narada also, the divine saint, of purified soul, came on a visit to Pandu's
sons. Him also, then, of great soul, all those foremost men of superioi
intellect, honoured in the prescribed form, by offering water to wash hii
feet, and the well-known oblation called the Arghya. Then the godlikt
saint, Narada, learning that they were about to hear the speech of Mar-
kandeya, expressed his assent to the arrangement. And he, the deathk
knowing what would be opportune, said smilingly, 'O saint of th<
Brahmana caste, speak what you were about to say unto the sons
Pandu !' Thus addressed, Markandeya, devoted to great austerities
replied, 'Wait a moment. A great deal will be narrated.' Thi
addressed, the sons of Pandu, together with those twice-born one
waited a moment, looking at that great saint, ( bright ) as the mid-da>
sun."
Vaisampayana continued, "Pandu's son, .the king of the Kuru
tribe, having observed that the great saint was willing to speak, ques-
tioned him with a view to suggesting topics to speak upon, saying, 'You
who are ancient (in years), know the deeds of gods and demons, and illus-
trious saints, and of all the royal ones. We consider you as worthy of
being worshipped and honoured ; and we have long yearned after your
company. And here is this son of Devaki, Krishna, who has come to us
on a visit. Verily, when I look at myself, fallen away from happiness,
and when I contemplate the sons of Dhritarashtra, of evil life, flourish-
ing in every way, the idea arises in me that it is man who does all acts,
good or bad, and that it is he that enjoys the fruit the acts bring forth.
How then is god the agent ? And, O best of those that are proficient
in- the knowledge of God, how is it that men's actions follow them ? Is
it in this world ? Or is it in some subsequent existence ? And, O best
• of righteous men among the twice-born, in what way is an embodied
animated being joined by his good and evil deeds that seek him out ? Is
it after death ? Or is it in this world ? And, O descendant of Bhrigu,
is what we experience in this world the result of the acts of this very
life ? Or will the acts of this life bear fruit in the world to come ?
VAN A PABVA 387
And where do the actions of an animated being who is dead find their
resting place ?"
"Markandeya said, 'O best of those that can speak, this question
befits thee, and is just what it should be ! Thou knowest all that there is
to know. But thou art asking this question, simply for the sake of form.
Here I shall answer thee : listen to me with an attentive mind, as to how
in this world and in that to come, a man experienceth happiness and
misery. The lord of born beings, himself sprung first of all, created,
for all embodied beings, bodies which were stainless, pure, and
obedient to virtuous impulses, O wisest of the descendants of Kuru !
The ancient men had all their desires fulfilled, were given to praise-
worthy courses of life, were speakers of truth, godly, and pure. All were
equal to the gods, could ascend to the sky at their pleasure, and could
come back again ; and all went about at their pleasure. And they had
their death and their life also under their own control ; and they had
few sufferings ; had no fear ; and had their wishes fulfilled ; and they
were free from trouble; could visit the gods and the magnanimous
saints ; knew by heart all righteous rules ; were self -controlled and free
from envy. And they lived many thousand years ; and had many thou-
sand sons. Then m course of time they came to be restricted to walking
solely on the surface of the earth, overpowered by lust and wrath,
dependent for subsistence upon falsehood and trick, overwhelmed by
greed and senselessness. Then those wicked men, when disembodied, on
account of their unrighteous and unblessed deeds, went to hell in a
crooked way. Again and again, they were grilled, and, again and again
they began to drag their miserable existence in this wonderful world.
And their desires were unfulfilled, the objects unaccomplished, and their
knowledge became unavailing. And their senses were paralysed and
they became apprehensive of everything and the cause of other people's
sufferings. And they were generally marked by wicked deeds, and born
in low families ; they became wicked and afflicted with diseases, and the
terror of others. And they became short-lived and sinful and they
reaped the fruit of their terrible deeds. And coveting everything, they
became godless and indifferent in mind, O son of Kunti ! The destiny
of every creature after death is determined by his acts in this world.
Thou hast asked me where this treasure of acts of the sage and the
ignorant remain, and where they enjoy the fruit of their good and evil
deeds ! Do thou listen to the regulations on this subject ! Man with
his subtle original body created by God lays up a great store of virtue
and vice. After death he quits his frail (outer) body and is immediately
born again in another order of beings. He never remains non-existent
for a single moment. In his new life his aczions follow him invariably
as shadow and, fructifying, makes his destiny happy or miserable. The
388 MAHABHABATA
wise man, by his spiritual insight, knows all creatures to be bound to an
immutable destiny by the destroyer and incapable of resisting the frui-
tion of his actions in good or evil fortune. This, O Yudhishthira, is the
doom of all creatures steeped in spiritual ignorance. Do thou now hear
of the perfect way attained by men of high spiritual perception ! Such
men are of high ascetic virtue and are versed in all profane and holy
writ, diligent in performing their religious obligations and devoted to
truth. And they pay due homage to their preceptors and superiors and
practise Yoga, are forgiving, continent and energetic and pious and are
generally endowed with every virtue. By the conquest of the passions,
they are subdued in mind ; by practising yoga they become free from
disease, fear and sorrow ; they are not troubled (in mind). In course
of birth, mature or immature, or while ensconced in the womb, in
every condition, they with spiritual eyes recognize the relation of their
soul to the supreme Spirit. Those great-minded Eishis of positive and
intuitiv e knowledge passing through this arena of actions, return again
to the abode of the celestials. Men., Oking, attain what they have in
consequence of the grace of the gods of Destiny or of their own actions.
Do thou not think otherwise. O Yudhishthira, I regard that as the
highest good which is regarded so in this world. Some attain happiness
in this world, but not in the.oiext ; others do so in the next, but not in
this. Some, again, attain happiness in this as well as in the next world ;
and others neither here nor in the next world. Those that have
immense wealth, shine every day with well-decorated persons. O slayer
of mighty foes, being addicted to carnal pleasures, they enjoy happiness
only in this world, but not in the next. But those who are engaged in
spiritual meditation and the study of the Vedas, who are diligent in
asceticism, and who impair the vigour of their bodies by performing
their duties, who have subdued their passions, and who refrain from
killing any animated being, those men, O slayer of thy enemies, attain
happiness in the next world, but not in this ! Those who first live a
pious life, and virtuously acquire wealth in due time and then marry
and perform sacrifices, attain bliss both in this and the next world.
Those foolish men again who do not acquire knowledge, nor are engaged
in asceticism or charity or increasing their species ; or in encompassing
the pleasures and enjoyments of this world, attain bliss neither in this
nor in the next world. But all of you are proficient in knowledge and
possessed of great power and strength and celestial vigour. For the
extermination (of the wicked) and for serv ing the purposes of the gods,
ye have come from the other world and have taken your birth in this
Ye, who are so valiant, and engaged in asceticism, self -restraining
exercises, and religious ordinances, and fond of exertion, after havii
performed great deeds and gratified the gods and Eishis and the Pitris,
ye will at last in due course attain by your own acts the supreme region
— the abode of all virtuous men I O ornament of Kuru's race, may no
doubts cross thy mind on account of these thy sufferings, for this
affliction is for thy good !"
SECTION CLXXXIII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Vaisampayana continued, — "The sons of Pandu said to the high-
souled Markandeya, 'We long to hear of the greatness of the Brahmanas !
Do thou tell us of it f Thus asked, the revered Markandeya, of
austere virtue and high spiritual energy, and proficient in all depart-
ments of knowledge, replied, 'A strong-limbed, handsome young prince
of the race of the Haihayas, a conqueror of hostile cities, (once) went
out hunting. And (while) roaming in the wilderness of big trees and
thickets of grass, he saw, at no great distance from him, a Muni with
the skin of a black antelope for his upper garment, and killed him
for a deer. Pained at what he had done, and his senses paralysed with
grief, he repaired to the presence of the more distinguished of th«
Haihaya chiefs. The lotus-eyed prince related to them the particulars.
On hearing the account, O my son, and beholding the body of the Muni
who had subsisted on fruits and roots, they were sorely afflicted in
mind. And they all set out enquiring here and there as they proceeded,
as to whose son the Muni might be. And they soon after reached the
hermitage of Arishtanemi, son of Kasyapa. And saluting that great Muni,
so constant in austerity, they all remained standing while the Muni, on
his part, busied himself about their reception. And they said unto the
illustrious Muni, 'By a freak of destiny, we have ceased to merit thy
welcome: indeed, we have killed a Brahmana f And the. regenerate
Eishi said to them, 'How hath a Brahmana come to be killed by you, and
say where may he be ? Do ye all witness the power of my ascetic prac-
tices f And they, having related everything to him as it had happened
went back, but found not the body of the dead Rishi on the spot (where
they had left it). And having searched for him, they returned, ashamed
and bereft of all perception, as in a dream. And then, O thou conqueror
of hostile cities, the Muni, Tarkshya, addressed them, saying, 'Ye princes,
can this be the Brahmana of your killing ? This Brahmana, endowed
with occult gifts from spiritual exercises, is, indeed, my son !' Seeing
that Rishi, O lord of the earth, they were struck with bewilderment.
And they said, 'What a , marvel ! How hath the dead come to life'
again ! Is it the power of his austere virtue by which he hath revived
again ? We long to hear this, O Brahmana, if, indeed, it can be divul-
ged f To them, he replied, 'Death, O lords of men, hath no power over
us ! I shall tell ye the -reason briefly and intelligibly. We perform our
own sacred duties ; therefore, have we no fear of death ; we speak well
of Brahmanas but never think any ill of them ; therefore hath death no
terror for us. Entertaining our guests with food and drink, anl our
ndantsdepewith plenty of food, we ourselves (then) partake of what is
390 MAHABHABATA
left ; therefore we are not afraid of death. We are peaceful and aus-
tere and charitable and forbearing and fond of visiting sacred shrines,
and we live in sacred places ; therefore we have no fear of death. And
we live in places inhabited by men who have great spiritual power ;
therefore hath death no terror for us. I have briefly told ye all!
Return ye now all together, cured of all worldly vanity. Ye have no
fear of sin !' Saving amen, O foremost scion of Bharata's race, and salu-
ting the great Muni, all those princes joyously returned to their
country."
SECTION CLXXXIV
(MarJcandeya-Samasya Parva continued]
"Markandeya continued, 'Do ye again hear from me the glory of
the Brahmanas ! It is said that a royal sage of the name of Vainya was
once engaged in performing the horse-sacrifice and that Atri desired to
go to him for alms. But Atri subsequently gave up his desire of wealth,
from religious scruples. After much thought he, of great power, became
desirous of living in the woods, and, calling his wife and sons together,
addressed them thus, 'Let us attain the highly tranquil and complete
fruition of our desires. May it, therefore, be agreeable to you to repair
quickly to the forest for a life of great merit.' His wife, arguing from
motives of virtue also then said to him, 'Hie thee to the illustrious
prince Vainya, and beg of him vast riches ! Asked by thee, that
royal sage,/ eagaged in sacrifice will give thee wealth. Having
gone there, O regenerate Rishi, and received from him vast wealth,
thou canst distribute it among thy sons and serv ants and then thou canst
go whithersoever thou pleasest. This, indeed, is the highest virtue as
instanced by men conversant with religion.' Atri replied, 'I am inform-
ed, O virtuous one, by the high-souled Gautama, that Vainya is a pious
prince, devoted to the cause of truth ; but there are Brahmanas (about
his persons) who are jealous of me ; and as Gautama hath told me this,
I do not venture to go there, for (while) there, if I were to advise what
is good and calculated to secure piety and the fulfilment of one's desires,
they would contradict me with words unproductive of any good. But I
approve of any counsel and will go there ; Vainya will give me kine
and hoards of riches.'
"Markandeya continued, 'So saying, he, of great ascetic merit, has-
tened to Vainya's sacrifice and reaching the sacrificial altar and making
his obeisance to the king and praising him with well-meaning speeches,
bespoke these words, 'Blessed art thou, O king! Ruling over the
earth, thou art the foremost of sovereigns ! The Munis praise thee, and
besides thee there is none so versed in religious lore f To him the Bishi
Gautama, of great ascetic merit, then indignantly replied saying, 'Atri,
VANA PABVA 391
do not repeat this nonsense. (It seems) thou art not in thy pro-
per senses. In this world of ours, Mahendra, the lord of all created
beings (alone) is the foremost of all sovereigns !' Then, O great prince,
Atri said to Gautama, 'As Indra, the lord of all creatures, ruleth over our
destinies, so doth this king ! Thou art mistaken. It is thou who hast
lost thine senses from want of spiritual perception f Gautama replied,
1 know I am not mistaken ; it is thou who art labouring under a mis-
conception in this matter. To secure the king's countenance, thou art
flattering him in (this) assembly of the people. Thou dost not know
what the highest v irtue is, nor dost thou feel the need for it. Thou art
like a child steeped in ignorance, for what then hast thou become (so)
old in years ?'
"Markandeya continued, 'While those two men were thus dispu-
ting in the presence of the Munis, who were engaged in Vainya's sacrifice
the latter enquired, 'What is the matter with them, that maketh them
talk so vociferously ?' Then the very pious Kasyapa learned in all reli-
gious lore, approaching the disputants asked them what was the matter.
And then Gautama, addressing that assembly of great Munis said,
'Listen, O great Brahmanas, to the point in dispute between us. Atri
hath said that Vainya is the ruler of our destinies ; great is our doubt
on this point/
"Markandeya continued, 'On hearing this, the great-mined Munis
went instantly to Sanatkumara who was well versed in religion to clear
their doubt. And then he of great ascetic merit, havinghjard the parti-
culars from them addressed them these words full of religious meaning.
And Sanatkumara said, 'As fire assisted by the wind burneth down
•forests, so a Brahmana's energy in union with a Kshatriya's or a Ksha-
triya's joined with a Brahmana's destroyeth all enemies. Th> sovereign
is the distinguished giver of laws and the protector of his subjects. He
is ( a protector of created beings) like Indra, ( a propounder of morals )
like Sukra, (a counsellor) like Vrihaspati and (hence he is also called) the
ruler of men's destinies. Who does not think it proper to worship the
individual of whom such terms as 'preserver of created beings,' 'royal,'
'emperor', 'Kshatriya' (or saviour of the earth), 'lord of earth', 'ruler
of men', are applied in praise ? The king is (also) styled the prime
cause (of social order, as being the promulgator of laws), 'the virtuous
in wars', (and therefore, preserver after peace), 'the watchman,' 'the
contented,' 'the lord,' 'the guide to salvation,' 'the easily victorious', 'the
Vishnu-like,' 'of effective wrath,' 'the winner of battles' and 'the cheri-
sher of the true religion.' The Bishis, fearful of sin, entrusted (the
temporal) power to the Kshatriyas. As among the gods in heaven the
Sun dispelleth darkness by his own effulgence, so doth the king com-
pletely root out sin from this earth. Therefore is the kings greatness
MAHABHARATA
reduced from the evidences of the sacred books, and we are bound to
pronounce for that side which hath spoken in favour of the king.1
"Markandeya continued, 'Then that illustrious prince, highly
pleased with the victorius party, joyfully said to Atri, who had praised
him erewhile. O regenerate Bishi, thou hast made and styled me the
greatest and most excellent of men here, and compared me to the gods ;
therefore, shall I give thee vast and various sorts of wealth. My impres-
sion is that thou art omniscient. I give thee, O well-dressed and well-
adorned one, a hundred millions of gold coins and also ten bharas of gold.
Then Atri, of high austere virtues and great spiritual powers, thus
welcomed (by the king), accepted all the gifts without any breach of
propriety, and returned home. And then giving his wealth to his sons
and subduing his self, he cheerfully repaired to the forest with the
object of performing penances.' "
SECTION CLXXXV
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'O thou conqueror of hostile cities, in
this connection Saraswati too, when interrogated by that intelligent
Muni Tarkshya, had said (this). Do thou listen to her words ! Tarkshya
had asked, saying, 'Excellent lady, what is the best thing for a man to
do here below, and how must he act so that he may not deviate from
(the path of) virtue. Tell me all this, O beautiful lady, so that instruct-
ed by thee, I may not fall away from the path of virtue ! When and how
must one offer oblations to the (sacred) fire and when must he worship
so that virtue may not be compromised ? Tell me all this, O excellent
lady, so that I may liv e without any passions, era v ing, or desire, in this
world.'
"Markandeya continued, 'Thus questioned by that cheerful Muni
and seeing him eager to learn and endued with high intelligence,
Saraswati addressed these pious and beneficial words to the Brahmana,
Tarkshya.'
"Saraswati said, 'He who is engaged in the study of the Vedas,
and with sanctity and equanimity perceives the supreme Godhead in his
proper sphere, ascends the celestial regions and attains supreme beatitude
with the Immortals. Many large, beautiful, pellucid and sacred lakes
are there, abounding with fish, flowers, and golden lilies. They are like
shrines and their very sight is calculated to assuage grief. Pious men,
distinctively worshipped by virtuous well-adorned golden-complexioned
Apsaras, dwell in contentment on the shores of those lakes. He who
giveth cows (to Brahmanas) attaineth the highest regions ; by giving
bullocks he reacheth the solar regions, by gi v ing clothes he getteth to
VANA PARVA 393
the lunar world, and by giving gold he attaineth to the state of the
Immortals. He who giveth a beautiful cow with a fine calf, and which
is easily milked and which doth not run away, is (destined) to live for
as many years in the celestial regions as there are hairs on the body of
that animal. He who giveth a fine, strong, powerful, young bullock,
capable of drawing the plough and bearing burdens, reacheth the regions
attained by men who give ten cows. When a man bestoweth a well-
caparisoned kapila cow with a brazen milk-pail and with money given
afterwards, that cow becoming, by its own distinguished qualities,a giver
of everything reacheth the side of the man who gave her away. He
who giveth away cows, reapeth innumerable fruits of his action, measur-
ed by the hairs on the body of that animal. He also saveth ( from
perdition ) in the next world his sons and grandsons and ancestors to
the seventh generation. He who presenteth to a Brahmana, sesamum
made up in the form of a cow, having horns made of gold, with money
besides, and a brazen milk-pail, subsequently attaineth easily to the
regions of the Vasus. By his own acts man descends into the darksome
lower regions, infested by evil spirits (of his own passions) like a ship
tossed by the storm in the high seas ; but the gift of kine to Brahmanas
saves him in the next world. He who giveth his daughter in marriage,
in the Brahma form, who bestoweth gifts of land on Brahmanas and
who duly maketh other presents, attaineth to the regions of Purandara.
O Tarkshya, the virtuous man who is constant in presenting oblations
to the sacred fire for seven years, sanctifieth by his own action seven
generations up and down.'
"Tarkshya said, 'O beautiful lady, explain to me who ask thee,
the rules for the maintenance of the sacred fire as inculcated in the
Vedas. I shall now learn from thee the time-honoured rules for per-
petually keeping up the sacred fire/ 11
SECTION CLXXXVI
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Then Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, said to the Brahmana, Markan-
deya, 'Do thou now narrate the history of Vaivaswata Manu f
"Markandeya replied, 'O king, O foremost of men, there was a
powerful and great Bishi of the name of Manu. He was the son of Viva-
swan and was equal unto Brahma in glory. And he far excelled his
father and grandfather in strength, in power, in fortune, as also in reli-
gious austerities. And standing on one leg and with uplifted hand, that
lord of men did severe penance in the jujube forest called Visala. And
there with head downwards and with steadfast eyes he practised the
rigid and severe penance for ten thousand years. And one day, whilst
19
394 MAHABHAKATA
he was practising austerities there with wet clothes on and matted hair
on head, a fish approaching the banks of the Chirini, addressed him thus,
'Worshipful sir, I am a helpless little fish, I am afraid of the large ones ;
therefore, do thou, O great devotee, think it worth thy while to protect
me from them ; especially as this fixed custom is well established amongst
us that the strong fish always preys upon the weak ones. Therefore do
thou think it fit to save me from being drowned in this sea of terrors !
I shall requite thee for thy good offices.' On hearing these words from
the fish, Vaivaswata Manu was overpowered with pity and he took
out the fish from the water with his own hands. And the fish which had
a body glistening like the rays of the moon when taken out of the water
was put back in an earthen water-vessel. And thus reared that fish, O
king, grew up in size and Manu tended it carefully like a child. And
after a long while, it became so large in size, that there was no room for
it in that v essel. And then seeing Manu (one day), it again addressed
these words to him, Worshipful sir, do thou appoint some better habit-
ation for me.' And then the adorable Manu, the conqueror of hostile
cities, took it out of that vessel and carried it to a large tank and placed
it there. And there again the fish grew for many a long year. And
although the tank was two yojanas in length and one yojana in width,
even there, O lotus-eyed son of Kunti and ruler of men, was no room
for the fish to play about ! And beholding Manu it said again, 'O pious
and adorable father, take me to the Ganga, the favourite spouse of the
Ocean so that I may live there ; or do as thou listest. O sinless one, as
I have grown to this great bulk by thy favour I shall do thy bidding
cheerfully.1 Thus asked the upright and continent and worshipful
Manu took the fiish to the river Ganga and he put it into the river with
his own hands. And there, O conqueror of thy enemies, the fish again
grew for some little time and then beholding Manu, it said again, 'O
lord, I am unable to move about in the Ganga on account of my great
body ; therefore, worshipful sir, do thou please take me quickly to the
sea f O son of Pritha, Manu then taking it out of the Ganga, carried
it to the sea and consigned it there. And despite its great bulk, Manu
transported it easily and its touch and smell were also pleasant to him.
And when it was thrown into the sea by Manu, it said these words to
him with a smile, *O adorable being, thou hast protected me with
special care ; do thou now listen to me as to what thou shouldst do in
the fulness of time ! O fortunate and worshipful sir, the dissolution of.
all this mobile and immobile world is nigh at hand. The time for the
purging of this world is now ripe. Therefore do I now explain what is
good for thee ! The mobile and immobile divisions of the creation, those
that have the power of locomotion, and those that have it not, of all
these the terrible doom hath now approached. Thou shalt build a strong
VANA PAKVA 395
massive ark and have it furnished with a long rope. On that must thou
ascend, O great Muni, with the seven Rishis and take with thee all the
different seeds which were enumerated by regenerate Brahmanas in days
of yore, and separately and carefully must thou preserve them therein.
And whilst there, O beloved of the Munis, thou shalt wait for me, and
I shall appear to thee like a horned animal, and thus, O ascetic, shalt
thou recognise me ! And I shall now depart, and thou shalt act according
to my instructions, for, without my assistance, thou canst not save thy-
self from that fearful flood.' Then Manu said unto the fish, 1 do not
doubt all that thou hast said, O great one ! Even so shall I act !' And
giv ing instructions to each other, they both went away. And Manu then,
O great and powerful king and conqueror of thy enemies, procured all
the different seeds as directed by the fish, and set sail in an excellent
vessel on the surging sea. And then, O lord of the earth, he bethought
himself of that fish. And the fish too, O conqueror of thy enemies and
foremost scion of Bharata's race, knowing his mind, appeared there with
horns on his head. And then, O tiger among men, beholding in the
ocean that horned fish emerging like a rock in the form of which he had
been before appraised, he lowered the ropy noose on its head. And fast-
ened by the noose, the fish, O king and conqueror of hostile cities, towed
the ark with great force through the salt waters. And it conveyed
them in that vessel on the roaring and billow- beaten sea. And, O con-
queror of thy enemies and hostile cities, tossed by the tempest on the
great ocean, the vessel reeled about like a drunken harlot. And neither
land nor the four cardinal points of the compass, could be distinguished.
And there was water everywhere and the waters covered the heaven and
the firmament also. And, O bull of Bharata's race, when the world was
thus flooded, none but Manu, the seven Rishis and the fish could be seen.
And, O king, the fish diligently dragged the boat through the flood for
many a long year and then, O descendant of Kuru and ornament of
Bharata's race, it towed the vessel towards the highest peak of the Hima-
vat. And, O Bharata, the fish then told those on the vessel to tie it to
the peak of the Himavat. And hearing the words of the fish they
immediately tied the boat on that peak of the mountain and, O son of
Kunti and ornament of Bharata's race, know that that high peak of the
Himavat is still called by the name of Naubandhana ( the harbour ).
Then the fish addressing the associated Rishis told them these words, 'I
am Brahma, the Lord of all creatures ; there is none greater than myself.
Assuming the shape of a fish, I have saved you from this cataclysm.
Manu will create (again) all beings— gods, Asuras and men, all those
divisions of creation which have the power of locomotion and which
have it not. By practising severe austerities he will acquire this power,
and with my blessing, illusion will have no power over him.'
396 MAHABHARATA
"So saying the fish vanished instantly. And Vaivaswata Manu
himself became desirous of creating the world. In this work of creation
illusion overtook him and he, therefore, practised .great asceticism. And
endowed with ascetic merit, Manu, O ornament of Bharata's race, again
set about his work of creating all beings in proper and exact order. This
story which I have narrared to thee and the hearing of which destroy -
eth all sin, is celebrated as the Legend of the Fish. And the man who
listeneth every day to this primeval history of Manu, attaineth happi-
ness and all other objects of desire and goeth to heaven.' "
SECTION CLXXXVII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Then the virtuous king Yudhishthira in all humility again enquir-
ed of the illustrious Markandeya, saying, 'O great Muni, thou hast seen
many thousands of ages pass away. In this world there is none so long-
lived as thou ! O best of those that have attained the knowledge of
Supreme Spirit, there is none equal to thee in years except the great-
minded Brahma living in the most exalted place. Thou, O Brahmana,
worshippest Brahma at the time of the great dissolution of the universe,
when this world is without sky and without the gods and Danavas. And
when that cataclysm ceaseth and the Grandsire awaketh, thou alone,
O regenerate Rishi, beholdest Brahma duly re-create the four orders of
beings after having filled the cardinal points with air and consigned the
waters to their proper place. Thou, O great Brahmana, hast worshipped
in his presence the great Lord and Grandsire of all creatures with soul
rapt in meditation and entirely swallowed up in Him ! And, O Brahmana,
thou hast many a time witnessed with thy eyes, the primeval acts of
creation, and, plunged in severe ascetic austerities, thou hast also sur-
passed the Prajapatis themselves! Thou art esteemed as one who is near-
est to Narayana, in the next world. Many a time in days of yore hast
thou beheld the Supreme Creator of the universe with eyes of spiritual
abstraction and renunciation, having first opened thy pure and lotus-like
heart — the only place where the multiform Vishnu of universal know-
ledge may be seen ! It is for this, O learned Rishi, by the grace of God
neither all- destroy ing Death, nor dotage that causeth the decay of the
body, hath any power over thee ! When neither the sun, nor the moon,
nor fire, nor earth, nor air, nor sky remains, when all the world being
destroyed looketh like one vast ocean, when the Gods and Asiirasandthe
great Uragas are annihilated, and when the great-minded Brahma, the
Lord of all creatures, taking his seat on a lotus flower, sleepeth there,
then thou alone remainest to worship him ! And, O best of Brahmanas,
thou hast seen all this that occurred before, with thy own eyes. And
VANA PABVA 397
thou alone hast witnessed many things by thy senses, and never in all
the worlds hath there been any thing unknown to thee ! Therefore do
I long to hear any discourse explaining the causes of things !'
"Markandeya replied, 'Indeed, I shall explain all, after having
bowed down to that Self-existent, primordial Being, who is eternal and
undeteriorating and inconceivable, and who is at once vested with and
divested of attributes. O tiger among men, this Janardana attired in
yellow robes is the grand Mover and Creator of all, the Soul and Framer
of all things, and the lord of all ! He is also called the Great, the Incom-
prehensible, the Wonderful and the Immaculate. He is without
beginning and without end, prevades all the world, is Unchangeable and
Undeteriorating. He is the Creator of all, but is himself uncreate and
is the Cause of all power. His knowledge is greater than that of all the
gods together. O best of kings and pre-eminent of men, after the disso-
lution of the universe, all this wonderful creation again comes into life.
Four thousand years have been said to constitute the Krita Ytiga. Its
dawn also, as well as its eve, hath been said to comprise four hundred
years. The Treta-Yuga is said to comprise three thousand years, and its
dawn, as well as its eve, is said to comprise three hundred years. The
Yuga that comes next is called Dwapara, and it hath been computed to
consist of two thousand years. Its dawn, as well as its eve, is said to
comprise two hundred years. The next Yuga, called Kali, is said to com-
prise one thousand years and its dawn, as well as eve, is said to comprise
one hundred years. Know, O king, that the duration of the dawn is the
same as that of the eve of a Yuga. And after the Kali Yuga is over, the
Kvita Yuga comes again. A cycle of the Yugas thus comprised a period
of twelve thousand years. A full thousand of such cycles would consti-
tute a day of Brahma. O tiger among men, when all this universe is
withdrawn and ensconced within its home— the Creator himself — that
disappearance of all things is called by the learned to be Universal Des-
truction. O bull of the Bharata race, towards the end of the last-
mentioned period of one thousand years, i e., when the period wanted to
complete a cycle is short, men generally become addicted to falsehood
in speech. O son of Pritha, then sacrifices and gifts and vows, instead
of being performed by principals are suffered to be performed by re-
presentatives ! Brahmanas then perform acts that are reserved for the
Sudras, and the Sudras betake themselves to the acquistion of wealth.
Then Kshatriyas also betake themselves to the practice of religious acts.
In the Kali age, the Brahmanas also abstain from sacrifices and the study
of the Vedas, are divested of their staff and deer-skin, and in respect of
food become omnivorous. And, O son, the Brahmanas in that age also
abstain from prayers and meditation while the Sudras betake themselves
to these ! The course of the world looketh contrary, and, indeed, these
393 MAHABHARATA
are the signs that foreshadow the Universal Destruction. And, O lord
of men, numerous Mleccha kings then rule over the earth ! And those
sinful monarchs, addicted to false speech, govern their subjects on prin-
ciples that are false. The Andhhas, the Salcas, the Pulindas, the Yavanas,
the Kamvojas, the Valhikas and the Abhiras, then become, O best of
men, possessed of bravery and the sovereignty of the earth. This, O
tiger among men, becometh the state of the world during the eve, O
Bharata, of the Kali age ! Not a single Brahmana then adhereth to the
duties of his order. And the Kshatriyas and the Vaisyas also, O monarch,
follow practices contrary to those that are proper for their own orders.
And men become short-lived, weak in strength, energy, and prowess ;
and endued with small might and diminutive bodies, they become scarce-
ly truthful in speech. And the human population dwindles away
over large tracts of country, and the regions of the earth, North and
South, and East and West, become crowded with animals and beasts of
prey. And during this period, they also that utter Brahma, do so in
vain. The Sudras address Brahmanas, saying, Bho, while the Brahmanas
address Sudras, saying Respected Sir. And, O tiger among men, at the
end of the Yuga, animals increase enormously. And, O king, odours and
perfumes do not then become so agreeable to our sense of scent, and,
O tiger among men, the very tastes of things do not then so well accord
with our organs of taste as at other periods ! And, O king, women then
become mothers of numerous progeny, endued with low statures, and
destitute of good behav iour and good manners. And they also make
their very mouths serve the purposes of the organ of procreation. And
famine ravages the habitations of men, and the highways are infested
by women of ill fame, while females in general, O king, become at such
periods hostile to their lords and destitute of modesty ! And, O king,
the very kine at such periods yield little milk, while the trees, sat over
with swarms of crows, do not produce many flowers and fruits. And, O
lord of the earth, regenerate classes, tainted with the sin of slaying Brah-
manas, accept gifts from monarchs ' that are addicted to falsehood in
speech. And filled with covetousness and ignorance, and bearing on their
persons the outward symbols of religion, they set out on eleemosynary
rounds, afflicting the people of the Earth. And people leading domestic
lives, afraid of the burden of taxes, become deceivers, while Brah-
manas, falsely assuming the garb of ascetics, earn wealth by trade, with
nails and hair unpared and uncut. And, O tiger among men, many of
the twice-born classes become, from avarice of wealth, religious mendi-
cants of the Brahmacharin order. And, O monarch, men at such periods
behave contrary to the modes of life to which they betake themselves,
and addicted to intoxicating drinks and capable of violating the beds of
their preceptors, their desires are all of this world, pursuing matters
VANA PABVA 399
ministering to the flesh and the blood. And O tiger among men, at such
period the asylums of ascetics become full of sinful and audacious
wretches ever applauding lives of dependence. And the illustrious
chastiser of Paka never showers rain according to the seasons and the
seeds also that are scattered on earth, do not, OBharata,all sprout forth.
And men, unholy in deed and thought, take pleasure in envy and malice.
And, O sinless one, the earth then becometh full of sin and immorality.
And, O lord of the earth, he that becometh virtuous at such periods
doth not live long. Indeed, the earth becometh reft of virtue in every
shape. And, O tiger among men, the merchants and traders then full of
guile, sell large quantities of articles with false weights and measures.
And they that are virtuous do not prosper ; while they that are sinful
prosper exceedingly. And virtue then loseth her strength while sin be-
cometh all powerful. And men that are devoted to virtue become poor
and short-lived ; while they that are sinful become long-lived and win
prosperity. And in such times, people behave sinfully even in places of
public amusements in cities and towns. And men always seek the
accomplishment of their ends by means that are sinful. And having
earned fortunes that are really small they become intoxicated with the
pride of wealth. And O monarch, many men at such periods strive to
rob the wealth that hath from trust been deposited with them in secrecy.
And wedded to sinful practices, they shamelessly declare — there is nothing
in deposit. And beasts of prey and other animals and fowl may be seen
to lie down in places of public amusement in cities and towns, as well
as in sacred edifices. And, O king, girls of seven or eight years of age
do then conceive, while boys of ten or twelve years beget offspring. And
in their sixteenth year, men are overtaken with decrepitude and decay
and the period of life itself is soon outrun. And O king, when men
become so short-lived, more youths act like the aged ; while all that is
observable in youths may be noticed in the old. And women, given
to impropriety of conduct and marked by evil manners, deceive even
the best of husbands and forget themselves with menials and slaves and
even with animals. And, O king, even women that are wives of heroes
seek the companionship of other men and forget themselves with these
during the life-time of their husbands.
"O king, towards the end of those thousands of years constituting
the four Yugas and when the lives of men become so short, a drought
occurs extending for many years. And then, O lord of the earth, men
and creatures endued with small strength and v itality, becoming hungry
die by thousands. And then, O lord of men, seven blazing Suns, appear-
ing in the firmament, drink up all the waters of the Earth that are in
rivers or seas. And, O bull of the Bharata race, then also everything of
the nature of wood and grass that is wet to dry, is consumed and reduc-
400 MAHABHAEATA
ed to ashes. And then, O Bharata, the fire called Samvartaka impelled
by the winds appeareth on the earth that hath already been dried to
cinders by the seven Suns. And then that fire, penetrating through the
Earth and making its appearance in the nether regions also, begetteth
great terror in the hearts of the gods, the Danavas and the Yakshas.
And, O lord of the earth, consuming the nether regions as also every-
thing upon this Earth that fire destroyeth all things in a moment. And
that fire called Samvartaka aided by that inauspicious wind, consumeth
this world extending for hundreds and thousands of yojanas. And that
lord of all things, that fire, blazing forth in effulgence consumeth this
universe with gods and Asuras and Gandharvas and Yakshas and Snakes
and Eakshasas, And there rise in the sky deep masses of clouds, looking
like herds of elephants and decked with wreaths of lightning that are
wonderful to behold. And some of those clouds are of the hue of the blue
lotus ; and some are of the hue of the water-lily ; and some resemble in
tint the filaments of the lotus and some are purple and some are yellow
as turmeric and some of the hue of the crow's egg. And some are bright
as the petals of the lotus and some red as vermilion. And some resem-
ble palatial cities in shape and some herds of elephants. And some are
of the form of lizards and some of crocodiles and sharks. And, O king,
the clouds that gather in the sky on the occasion are terrible to behold
and wreathed with lightnings, roar frightfully. And those vapoury
masses, charged with rain, soon cov er the entire welkin. And, O king,
those masses of vapour then flood with water the whole earth with her
mountains and forests and mines. And, O bull among men, urged by the
Supreme Lord those clouds roaring frightfully, soon flood over the entire
surface of the earth. And pouring in a great quantity of water and filling
the whole earth, they quench that terrible inauspicious fire (of which
I have already spoken to thee). And urged by the illustrious Lord those
clouds filling the earth with their downpour shower incessantly for
twelve years. And then, O Bharata, the Ocean oversteps his continents,
the mountains sunder in fragments, and the Earth sinks under the
increasing flood. And then moved on a sudden by the impetus of the
wind, those clouds wander along the entire expanse of the firmament
and disappear from the view. And then, O ruler of men, the Self -create
Lord— the first Cause of everything — having his abode in the lotus,
drinketh those terrible winds and goeth to sleep, O Bharata !
"And then when the universe become one dead expanse of water,
when all mobile and immobile creatures have been destroyed, when the
gods and the Asuras cease to be, when the Yakshas and the Rakshasas are
no more, when man is not, when trees and beasts of prey have dis-
appeared, when the firmament itself has ceased to exist, I alone, O lord of
the earth, wander in affliction. And, O best of kings, wandering over that
VANA PABVA 241
dreadful expanse of water, my heart becometh afflicted in consequence
of my not beholding any creature ! And, O king, wandering without
cessation, through that flood, I become fatigued, but I obtain no resting
place ! And some time after, I behold in that expanse of accumulated
waters a vast and wide- extending banian tree, O lord of earth ! And
I then behold, O Bharata, seated on a conch, O king, overlaid with a
celestial bed and attached to a far-extended bough of that banian, a boy,
O great king, of face fair as the lotus or the moon, and of eyes, O ruler
of men, large as petals of a full blown lotus ! And at this sight, O lord of
earth, wonder filled my heart. And I asked myself, 'How doth this
boy alone sit here when the world itself hath deen destroyed ?' And, O
king, although I have full knowledge of the Past, the Present, and the
Future, still I failed to learn anything of this by means of even ascetic
meditation. Endued with the lustre of the Atasi flower, and decked with
the mark of Sreevatsa, he seemed to me to be like the abode of Lakshmi
herself. And that boy, of eyes like the petals of the lotus, having the
mark of Sreevatsa, and possessed of blazing effulgence, then addressed
me in words highly pleasant to the ear, saying, 'O sire, I know thee to
be fatigued and desirous of rest. O Markandeya of Bhrigu's race, rest
thou here as long as thou wishest. O best of Munis, entering within
my body, rest thou there. That hath been the abode assigned to thee
by me. I have been pleased with thee.' Thus addressed by that boy,
a sense of total disregard possessed me in respect both of my long life
and state of manhood, Then that boy suddenly opened his mouth, and
as fate would have it, I entered his mouth deprived of the power of
motion. But O king, hav ing suddenly entered into the stomach of that
boy, I behold there the whole earth teeming with cities and kingdoms.
And, O best of men, while wandering through the stomach of that illus-
trious one, I beheld the Ganga, the Satudru, the Sita, the Yamuna, and
the Kausiki ; the Charmanwati, the Vetravati ; the Chandrabhaga, the
Saraswati, the Sindhu, the Vipasa, and the Godavari ; the Vaswokasara,
the Nalini and the Narmada ; the Tamra, and the Venna also of delight-
ful current and sacred waters ; the Suvenna, the Krishna- venna, the
Irama, and the Mahanadi ; the Vitasti, O great king, and that large
river, the Cavery ; the one also, O tiger among men, the Visalya, and
the Kimpuna also. I beheld all these and many other rivers that are on
the earth ! And, O slayer of foes, I also beheld there the ocean inha-
bited by alligators and sharks, that mine of gems, that excellent abode of
waters. And I beheld there the firmament also, decked with the Sun
and the Moon, blazing with effulgence, and possessed of lustre of fire of
the Sun. And I beheld there, O king, the earth also, graced with woods
and forests. And, O monarch, I beheld there many Brahmanas also,
engaged in various sacrifices ; and the Kshatriyas engaged in doing good
20
242 MAHABHARATA
to all the orders ; and the Vaisyas employed in pursuits in agriculture ;
and the Sudras devoted to the service of the regenerate classes. And, O
king, while wandering through the stomach of that high-souled one, I
also beheld the Himavat and the mountains of Hemakuta. And I also
saw Nishada, and the mountains of Sweta abounding in silver. And,
0 king, I saw there the mountain Gandhamadana, and, O tiger among
men, also Mandara and the huge mountains of Nila. And, O great king,
1 saw there the golden mountains of Meru and also Mahendra and those
excellent mountains called the Vindhyas. And I beheld there the
mountains of Malaya and of Paripatra also. These and many other
mountains that are on earth were all seen by me in his stomach. And all
these were decked with jewels and gems. And, O monarch, while
wandering through his stomach, I also beheld lions and tigers and boars
and, indeed, all other animals that are on earth, O great king ! O tiger
among men, having entered his stomach, as I wandered around, I also
beheld the whole tribe of the gods with their chief Sakra, the Sadhyas,
the Rudras, the Adityas, the Guhyakas, the Pitris, the Snakes and the
Nagas, the feathery tribes, the Vasus, the Aswins, the Gandharvas, the
Apsaras, the Yakshas, the Rishis, the hordes of the Daityas and the
Danavas, and the Nagas also. O king, and the sons of Singhika and all
the other enemies of the gods ; indeed what else of mobile and immobile
creatures may be seen on earth, were all seen by me, O monarch,
within the stomach of that high-souled one. And, O lord, living upon
fruits I dwelt within his body for many centuries wandering over the
entire universe that is there. Never did I yet, O king, behold the limits
of his body. And when, O lord of earth, I failed to measure the limits
of that high-souled one's body, even though I wandered within him
continuously in great anxiety of mind. I then, in thought and deed
sought the protection of that boon-giv ing and pre-eminent Deity, duly
acknowledging his superiority. And when I had done this, O king, I was
suddenly projected (from within his body) through that high-souled
one's open mouth by means, O chief of men, of a gust of wind. And,
O king, I then beheld seated on the branch of that very banian that
same Being of immeasurable energy, in the form of a boy with the mark
of Sreevatsa (on his breast) having, O tiger among men, swallowed up
the whole universe. And that boy of blazing effulgence and bearing
the mark of Sreevatsa and attired in yellow robes, gratified with me,
smilingly addressed me, saying, 4O Markandeya, O best of Munis, having
dwelt for some time within my body, thou hast been fatigued ! I shall
however speak unto thee.' And as he said this tome, at that very
moment I acquired a new sight, so to speak, in consequence of which I
beheld myself to be possessed of true knowledge and emancipated from the
illusions of the world. And, O child, having witnessed the inexhaustible
VANA PABVA 243
power of that Being of immeasurable energy, I then worshipped his
revered and well-shaped feet with soles bright as burnished copper and
well-decked with toes of mild red hue, hav ing placed them carefully on
my head and joining my palms in humility and approaching him with
reverence. I beheld that Divine Being who is the soul of all things and
whose eyes are like the petals of the lotus. And hav ing bowed unto
him with joined hands I addressed him saying, 1 wish to know thee, O
Divine Being, as also this high and wonderful illusion of thine ! O
illustrious one, having entered into thy body through thy mouth, I
have beheld the entire universe in thy stomach I O Divine Being, the
gods, the Danavas and the Bakshasas, the Yakshas, the Gandharvas, and
the Nagas, indeed, the whole universe mobile and immobile, are all
within thy body ! And though I have ceaselessly wandered through thy
body at a quick pace, through thy grace, O God, my memory f aileth me
not. And, O great lord, I have come out of thy body at thy desire but
not of mine ! O thou of eyes like lotus leaves, I desire to know thee
who art free from all faults ! Why dost thou stay here in the form of
a boy, having swallowed up the entire universe ? It behoveth thee to
explain all this to me. Why, O sinless one, is the entire universe within
thy body ? How long also, O chastiser of foes, wilt thou stay here ?
Urged by a curiosity that is not improper for Brahmana?, I desire, O
Lord of all the gods, to hear all this from thee, O thou of eyes like lotus
leaves, with every detail and exactly as it all happens, for all I have
seen, O Lord, is wonderful and inconceivable f And thus addressed by
me, that deity of deities, of blazing effulgence and great beauty, that
foremost of all speakers consoling me properly, spoke unto me these
words."
SECTION CLXXXVIII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'The Deity then said, 'O Brahmana, the
gods even do not know me truly ! As however, I have been gratified
with thee, I will tell thee how I created the universe ! O regenerate
Eishi, thou art devoted to thy ancestors and hast also sought my protec-
tion ! Thou hast also beheld me with thy eyes, and thy ascestic merit
also is great ! In ancient times I called the waters by the name of Nara ;
and because the waters have ever been my ay ana or home, therefore
have I been called Narayana (the water-homed). O best of regenerate
ones, I am Narayana, the Source of all things, the Eternal, the Unchan-
geable. I am the creator of all things, and the Destroyer also of all. I
am Vishnu, I am Brahma and I am Sakra, the chief of the gods. I am
king Vaisravana, and I am Yama, the lord of the deceased spirits. I am
^244 MAHABHAEATA
Siva, I am Soma, and I am Kasyapa the lord of the created things. And,
O best of regenerate ones, I am he called Dhatri, and he also that is
called Vidhatri.andl am Sacrifice embodied. Fire is my mouth, the earth
my feet, and the Sun and the Moon are my eyes ; the Heaven is the
crown of my head, the firmament and the cardinal points are my ears ;
the waters are born of my sweat. Space with the cardinal points are my
body, and the Air is my mind. I have performed many hundreds of
sacrifices with gifts in profusion. I am always present in the sacrifices
of the gods ; and they that are cognisant of the Vedas and officiate
therein, make their offerings to me. On earth the Kshatriya chiefs that
rule over men, in performing their sacrifices from desire of obtaining
heaven, and the Vaisyas also in performing theirs from desire of winning
those happy regions, all worship me at such times and by those cere-
monials. It is I who, assuming the form of Sesha support (on my head) this
earth bounded by the four seas and decked by Meru and Mandara. And,
O regenerate one, it is I who, assuming the form of a boar, had raised
in days of yore this earth sunk in water. And, O best of Brahmanas, it
is I who, becoming the fire that issues out of the Equine mouth, drink
up the waters (of the ocean) and create them again. In consequence
of my energy from my mouth, my arms, my thighs, and my feet gradually
sprang Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras. It is from
me that the Rik, the Sama, the Yajus, and the Atharvan Vedas spring,
and it is in me that they all enter when the time cometh. Brahmanas
devoted to asceticism, they that value Peace as the highest attribute,
they that have their souls under complete control, they that are desirous
of knowledge, they that are freed from lust and wrath and envy, they
that are unwedded to things of the earth, they that have their sins
completely washed away, they that are possessed of gentleness and virtue,
and are divested of pride, they that have a full knowledge of the Soul,
all worship me with profound meditation. I am the flame known as
Samvartaka, I am the Wind called by that name, I am the Sun wearing
that appellation, and I am the fire that hath that designation. And, O
best of Brahmanas, those things that are seen in the firmament as stars,
know them to be the pores of my skin. The ocean — those mines of gems
and the four cardinal points, know, O Brahmana, are my robes, my bed,
and my home. By me have they been distributed for serving the pur-
poses of the gods. And, O best of men, know also that lust, wrath, joy,
fear, and the over-clouding of the intellect, are all different forms of
myself. And, O Brahmana, whatever is obtained by men by the practice
of truth, charity, ascetic austerities, and peace and harmlessness towards
all creatures, and such other handsome deeds, is obtained because of
my arrangements. Governed by my ordinance, men wander within my
body, their senses overwhelmed by me. They move not according to
VANA PARVA 245
their will but as they are moved by me. Regenerate Brahmanas that
have thoroughly studied the Vedas, that have tranquillity in their souls,
they that have subdued their wrath, obtain a high reward by means of
their numerous sacrifices. That reward, however, is unattainable by
men that are wicked in their deeds, overwhelmed by covetousness, mean
and disreputable with souls unblessed and impure. Therefore, must
thou know, O Brahmana, that this reward which is obtained by persons
hav ing their souls under control and which is unobtainable by the ignor-
rant and the foolish, — this which is attainable by asceticism alone, — is
productive of high merit. And, 0 best of men, at those times when
virtue and morality decrease and sin and immorality increase, I
create myself in new forms. And, O Muni, when fierce and malicious
Daityas and Rakshasas that are incapable of being slain by even the
foremost of the gods, are born on earth, I then take my birth in the
families of virtuous men, and assuming human body restore tranquillity
by exterminating all evils. Moved by my own may a, I create gods
and men, and Gandharvas and Rakshasas, and all immobile things and
then destroy them all myself (when the time cometh). For the preserva-
tion of rectitude and morality I assume a human form, and when the
season for action cometh, I again assume forms that are inconceivable.
In the Krita age I become white, in the Treta age I become yellow, in
the Divapara I become red, and in the Kali age I become dark in hue. In
the Kali age, the proportion of immorality becometh three-fourths, (a
fourth only being that of morality). And when the end of the Yuga
cometh, assuming the fierce form of Death, alone I destroy all the three
worlds with their mobile and immobile existences. With three steps I
cover the whole Universe ; I am the Soul of the universe ; I am the
source of all happiness ; I am the humbler of all pride ; I am omni-
present ; I am infinite ; I am the Lord of the senses ; and my prowess
is great. O Brahmana, alone do I set a-going the wheel of Time ; I am
formless ; I am the Destroyer of all creatures ; and I am the cause of
all efforts of all my creatures. O best of Munis, my soul completely
pervade th all my creatures, but, O foremost of all regenerate ones, no
one knoweth me. It is me that the pious and the devoted worship in
all the worlds. O regenerate one, whatever of pain thou hast felt within
my stomach, -know, O sinless one, that all that is for thy happiness and
good fortune. And whatever of mobile and immobile objects thou hast
seen in the world, ev ery thing hath been ordained by my Soul which is
the Spring of all existence. The grandsire of all creatures is half my
body ; I am called Narayana, and I am bearer of the conch-shell, the
discus and the mace. O regenerate Rishi, for a period measured by a
thousand times the length of the Yugas, I who am the Universal Soul
sleep overwhelming all creatures in insensibility. And, O best of rege-
246 MAHABHAEATA
nerate Rishis, I stay here thus for all time, in the form of a boy though
I am old, until Brahma waketh up. O foremost of Brahmanas, gratified
with thee, I who am Brahma have repeatedly granted thee boons, O
thou who art worshipped by regenerate Rishis I Beholding one vast
expanse of water and seeing that all mobile and immobile creatures
have been destroyed, thou wert afflicted with melancholy. I know this,
and it is for this that I showed thee the universe (within my stomach).
And while thou wert within my body, beholding the entire uni-
verse, thou wert filled with wonder and deprived of thy senses. O
regenerate Rishi, it is for this that thou wert speedily brought out by
me through my mouth. I have (now) told thee of that Soul which is
incapable of being comprehended by the gods and the Asuras. And as
long as that great ascetic, the holy Brahma, doth not awake, thou, O
regenerate Rishi, canst happily and trustfully dwell here. And when
that Grandsire of all creatures awaketh up, I will then, O best of
Brahmanas, alone create all creatures endued with bodies, the firma-
ment, the earth, light, the atmosphere, water, and indeed all else of
mobile and immobile creatures (that thou mayst have seen) on the
earth f
'Markandeya continued, 'Having said so unto me that wonderful
Deity vanished, O son, from my sight ! I then beheld this varied and
wondrous creation start into life. O king, O thou foremost of the
Bharata race, I witnessed all this, so wonderful, O thou foremost of all
virtuous men, at the end of the Yuga ! And the Deity, of eyes large as
lotus leaves, seen by me, in days of yore is this tiger among men, this
Janardana who hath become thy relative ! It is in consequence of the
boon granted to me by this one that memory doth not fail me, that the
period of my life, O son of Kunti, is so long and death itself is under my
control. This is that ancient and supreme Lord Hari of inconceivable
soul who hath taken his birth as Krishna of the Vrishni race, and who
endued with mighty arms, seemeth to sport in this world ! . This one is
Dhatri and Vidhatri, the Destroyer of all the Eternal, the bearer of the
Sreevatsa mark on his breast, the Lord of the lord of all creatures, the
highest of the high, called also Gov inda ! Beholding this foremost of all
gods, this ever-victorious Being, attired in yellow robes, this chief of the
Vrishni race, my recollection cometh back to me ! This Madhava is
the father and mother of all creatures ! Ye bulls of the Kuru race, seek
ye the refuge of this Protector !'
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed, the sons of Pritha, and
those bulls among men — the twins, along with Draupadi, all bowed down
unto Jarnardana. And that tiger among men deserving of every respect
thus revered by the sons of Pandu, then consoled them all with words
of great sweetness."
SECTION CLXXXIX
(Markandeija-Samasya Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, once more
asked the great Muni Markandeya about the future course of the govern-
ment of the Earth.
"And Yudhishthira said, 'O thou foremost of all speakers, O Muni
of Bhrigu's race, that which we have heard from thee about the des-
truction and re-birth of all things at the end of the Yuga, is, indeed, full
of wonder ! I am filled with curiosity, however, in respect of what may
happen in the Kali age. When morality and v irtue will be at an end,
what will remain there ? What will be the prowess of men in that age,
what their food, and what their amusements ? What will be the period
of life at the end of the Yuga ? What also is the limit, having attained
which the Krita age will begin anew ? Tell me all in detail, O Muni, for
all that thou narratest is varied and delightful.'
"Thus addressed, that foremost of Munis began his discourse again,
delighting that tiger of the Vrishni race and the sons of Pandu as well.
And Markandeya said, 'Listen, O monarch, to all that hath been seen
and heard by me, and to all, O king of kings, that hath been known to
me by intuition from the grace of the God of gods ! O bull of the
Bharata race, listen to me as I narrate the future history of the world
during the sinful age. O bull of the Bharata race, in the Krita age, every-
thing was free from deceit and guile and avarice and covetousness ; and
morality like a bull was among men, with all the four legs complete. In
the Treta age sin took away one of these legs and morality had three legs.
In the Dwapara, sin and morality are mixed half and half ; and accord-
ingly morality is said to have two legs only. In the dark age (o/ Kali),
Q thou best of the Bharata race, morality mixed with three parts of sin
liveth by the side of men. Accordingly morality then is said to wait on
men, with only a fourth part of itself remaining. Know, O Yudhish-
thira, that the period of life, the energy, intellect and the physical
strength of men decrease in every Yuga \ O Panda v a, the Brahmanas
and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras, (in the Kali age) will practise
morality and virtue deceitfully and men in general will deceive their
fellows by spreading the net of virtue. And men with false reputation of
learning will, by their acts, cause Truth to be contracted and concealed.
And in consequence of the loss of truth, the lives of men will become
short, and in consequence of the shortness of their lives they will not
be able to acquire much knowledge. And in consequence of the littleness
of their knowledge, they will have no wisdom. And for this, covetous-
ness and avarice will overwhelm them all. And wedded to avarice and
248 MAHABHAEATA
wrath and ignorance and lust men will entertain animosities towards
one another, desiring to take one another's lives. And Brahman'as and
Kshatriyas and Vaisyas with their v irtue contracted and div ested of asce-
ticism and truth will all be reduced to an equality with the Sudras.
And the lowest orders of men will rise to the position of the interme-
diate ones, and those in intermediate stations will, without doubt, des-
cend to the level of the lowest ones. Even such, O Yudhishthira, will
become the state of the world at the end of the Yuga. Of robes those
will be regarded the best that are made of flax and of grain the paspalum
frumentacea1 will be regarded the best. Towards this period men will
regard their wives as their (only) friends. And men will live on fish
and milk, goats and sheep, for cows will be extinct. And towards that
period, even they that are always observant of vows, will become cove-
tous. And opposed to one another, men will, at such a time, seek one
another's lives ; and divested of Yuga, people will become atheists and
thiev es. And they will ev en dig the banks of streams with their spades
and sow grains thereon. And even those places will prove barren for
them at such a time. And those men who are devoted to ceremonial
rites in honour of the deceased and of the gods, will be avaricious and
will also appropriate and enjoy what belongs to others. The father will
enjoy what belongs to the son ; and the son, what belongs to the father.
And those things will also be enjoyed by men in such times, the enjoy-
ment of which hath been forbidden in the scriptures. And the Brahma-
nas, speaking disrespectfully of the Vedas, will not practise vows, and
their understanding clouded by the science of disputation, they will no
longer perform sacrifices and the Homa. And deceived by the false
science of reasons, they will direct their hearts towards everything
mean and low. And men will till low lands for cultivation and employ
cows and calves that are one year old, in drawing the plough and carry-
ing burthens. And sons having slain their sires, and sires having slain
their sons will incur no opprobrium. And they will frequently save
themselves from anxiety by such deeds, and even glory in them. And
the whole world will be filled with mleccha behaviour and notions and
ceremonies, and sacrifices will cease and joy will be nowhere and general
rejoicing will disappear. And men will rob the possession of helpless
persons of those that are friendless and of wisdoms also. And possessed
of small energy and strength, without knowledge and given to avarice
and folly and sinful practices men will accept with joy the gifts made
by wicked people with words of contempt. And, O son of Kunti,
the kings of the earth, with hearts wedded to sin without knowledge
1 The word in the text is Kora-dushakas, supposed by Wilson to be
the Paspalum frumentacea (vide DictJ — T.
VAN A PAEVA 409
and always boastful of their wisdom, will challenge one another from
desire of taking one another's life. And the Kshatriyas also towards the
end of such a period will become the thorns of the earth. And rilled with
avarice and swelling with pride and vanity and, unable and unwilling to
protect (their subjects), they will take pleasure in inflicting punishments
only. And attacking and repeating their attacks upon the good and the
honest, and feeling no pity for the latter, even when they will cry in
grief, the Kshatriyas will, OBharata, rob these of their wives and wealth.
And no one will ask for a girl (for purposes of marriage) and no one will
give away a girl (for such purposes), but the girls will themselves choose
their lords, when the end of the Yuga comes. And the kings of the
earth with souls steeped in ignorance, and discontented with what they
have, will at such a time, rob their subjects by every means in their
power. And without doubt the whole world will be mlecchified.1 And
when the end of the Yuga comes, the right hand will deceive the left ;
and the left, the right. And men with false reputation of learning will
contract Truth and the old will betray the senselessness of the young,
and the young will betray the dotage of the old. And cowards will have
the reputation of bravery and the brave will be cheerless like cowards.
And towards the end of the Yuga men will cease to trust one another.
And full of avarice and folly the whole world will have but one kind of
food. And sin will increase and prosper, while virtue will fade and
cease to flourish. And Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas will
disappear, leaving, O king, no remnants of their orders. And all men
towards the end of the Yuga will become members of one common
order, without distinction of any kind. And sires will not forgive sons,
and sons will not forgive sires. And when the end approaches, wives
will not wait upon and serve their husbands. And at such a time men
will seek those countries where wheat and barley form the staple food.
And, O monarch, both men and women will become perfectly free in
their behaviour and will not tolerate one another's acts. And, O
Yudhishthira, the whole world will be mlecchified. And men will cease
to gratify the gods by offerings of Sraddhas. And no one will listen to
the words of others and no one will be regarded as a preceptor by
another. And, O ruler of men, intellectual darkness will envelop the
whole earth, and the life of man will then be measured by sixteen years,
on attaining to which age death will ensue. And girls of five or six
years of age will bring forth children and boys of seven or eight years of
age will become fathers. And, O tiger among kings, when the end of
1. The word in the text is mlechibhutam. The Sanskrit grammar
affords a great facility for the formation of verbs from substantives.
Mlecohify may be hybrid, but it correctly and shortly signifies what is the
Sanskrit word. — T.
21
410 MAHABHAEATA
the Yuga will come, the wife will never be content with her husband,
nor the husband with his wife. And the possessions of men will never
be much, and people will falsely bear the marks of religion, and jea-
lousy and malice will fill the world. And no one will, at that time, be
a giver ( of wealth or anything else ) in respect to any one else. And
the inhabited regions of the earth will be afflicted with dearth and
famine, and the highways will be filled with lustful men and women of
evil repute. And, at such a time, the women will also entertain an
aversion towards their husbands. And without doubt all men will adopt
the behaviour of the mlecchas, become omnivorous without distinction,
and cruel in all their acts, when the end of the Yuga will come. And,
O thou foremost of the Bharatas, urged by avarice, men will, at that
time, deceive one another when they sell and purchase. And without
a knowledge of the ordinance, men will perform ceremonies and rites,
and, indeed, behave as listeth them, when the end of the Yuga comes.
And when the end of the Yuga comes, urged by their very dispositions,
men will act cruelly, and speak ill of one another. And people will, with-
out compunction, destroy trees and gardens. And men will be filled with
anxiety as regards the means of living. And, O king, overwhelmed with
covetousness, men will kill Brahmanas and appropriate and enjoy the
possessions of their victims. And the regenerate ones, oppressed by
Sudras, and afflicted with fear, and crying Oh and Alas, will wander over
the earth without anybody to protect them. And when men will begin
to slay one another, and become wicked and fierce and without any
respect for animal life, then will the Yuga come to an end. And,
O king, even the foremost of the regenerate ones, afflicted by
robbers, will, like crows, fly in terror and with speed, and seek
refuge, O perpetuator of the Kuru race, in rivers and mountains
and inaccessible regions. And always oppressed by bad rulers with
burthens of taxes, the foremost of the regenerate classes, O lord
of the earth, will, in those terrible times, take leave of all patience
and do improper acts by becoming even the servants of the Sudras.
And Sudras will expound the scriptures, and Brahmanas will wait upon
and listen to them, and settle their course of duty accepting such inter-
pretations as their guides. And the low will become the high, and the
course of things will look contrary. And renouncing the gods, men will
worship bones and other relics deposited within walls. And, at the end
of the Yuga, the Sudras will cease to wait upon and serve the Brahma-
nas. And in the asylums of great Bishis, and the teaching institutions
of Brahmanas, and in places sacred to the gods and sacrificial com-
pounds, and in sacred tanks, the earth will be disfigured with tombs and
pillars containing bony relics and not graced with temples dedicated
to the gods. All this will take place at the end of the Yuga, and know
VANA PABVA 411
that these are the signs of the end of the Yuga. And when men become
fierce and destitute of virtue and carnivorous and addicted to intoxica-
ting drinks, then doth the Yuga come to an end. And, O monarch, when
flowers will be begot within flowers, and fruits within fruits, then will
the Yuga come to an end. And the clouds will pour rain unseasonably
when the end of the Yuga approaches. And, at that time, ceremonial
rites of men will not follow one another in due order, and the Sudras
will quarrel with the Brahmanas. And the earth will soon be full of
mlecchas, and the Brahmanas will fly in all directions for fear of the
burthen of taxes. And all distinctions between men will cease as regards
conduct and behaviour, and afflicted with honorary tasks and offices,
people will fly to woody retreats, subsisting on fruits and roots. And
the world will be so afflicted, that rectitude of conduct will cease to be
exhibited anywhere. And disciples will set at naught the instructions
of preceptors, and seek even to injure them. And preceptors impover-
ished will be disregarded by men. And friends and relatives and
kinsmen will perform friendly offices for the sake of the wealth
only that is possessed by a person. And when the end of the Yuga
comes, everybody will be in want. And all the points of the horizon
will be ablaze, and the stars and stellar groups will be destitute of
brilliancy, and the planets and planetary conjunctions will be inauspi-
cious. And the course of the winds will be confused and agitated, and
innumerable meteors will flash through the sky, foreboding ev il. And
the Sun will appear with six others of the same kind. And all around
there will be din and uproar, and everywhere there will be conflagra-
tions. And the Sun, from the hour of his rising to that of setting, will
be enveloped by Rahu. And the deity of a thousand eyes will shower
rain unseasonably. And when the end of the Yuga comes, crops will
not grow in abundance. And the women will always be sharp in speech
and pitiless and fond of weeping. And they will never abide by the
commands of their husbands. And when the end of the Yuga comes,
sons will slay fathers and mothers. And women, living uncontrolled,
will slay their husbands and sons. And, O king, when the end of the
Yuga comes, Rahu will swallow the Sun unseasonably. And fires will
blaze up on all sides. And travellers unable to obtain food and drink
and shelter even when they ask for these, will lie down on the wayside
refraining from urging their solicitations. And when the end of the
Yuga comes, crows and snakes and vultures and kites and other animals
and birds will utter frightful and dissonant cries. And when the end
of the Yuga comes, men will cast away and neglect their friends and
relatives and attendants. And, O monarch, when the end of the Yuga
comes, men abandoning the countries and directions and towns and
cities of their occupation, will seek for new ones, one after another*
412 MAHABHABATA
And people will wander over the earth, uttering, '0 father, 0 son, and
such other frightful and rending cries.
"And when those terrible times will be over, the creation will
begin anew. And men will again be created and distributed into the
four orders beginning with Brahmanas. And about that time, in order
that men may increase, Providence, according to its pleasure, will once
more become propitious. And then when the Sun, the Moon, and
Vrihaspati will, with the constellation Pushy a ' , enter the same sign, the
Krita age will begin again. And the clouds will commence to shower
seasonably, and the stars and stellar conjunctions will become auspicious.
And the planets, duly revolving in their orbits, will become exceedingly
propitious And all around, there will be prosperity and abundance
and health and peace. And commissioned by Time, a Brahmana of the
name of Kalki will take his birth. And he will glorify Vishnu and
possess great energy, great intelligence, and great prowess. And he will
take his birth in a town of the name of Sambhala in an auspicious Brah-
mana family. And vehicles and weapons, and warriors and arms, and
coats of mail will be at his disposal as soon as he will think of them.
And he will be the king of kings, and ever victorious with the strength
of virtue. And he will restore order and peace in this world crowded
with creatures and contradictory in its course. And that blazing Brah-
mana of mighty intellect, having appeared, will destroy all things. And
he will be the Destroyer of all, and will inaugurate a new Yuga. And
surrounded by the Brahmanas, that Brahmana will exterminate all the
mlecchas wherever those low and despicable persons may take refuge."
SECTION CLXL
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'Having exterminated the thieves and
robbers, Kalki will, at a great Horse-sacrifice, duly give away this earth
to the Brahmanas, and hav ing established anew the blessed rectitude
ordained by the Self -create, Kalki, of sacred deeds and illustrious repu-
tation, will enter a delightful forest, and the people of this earth will
imitate his conduct, and when the Brahmanas will have exterminated
the thieves and robbers, there will be prosperity every where (on earth).
And as the countries of the earth will one after another be subjugated,
that tiger among Brahmanas, Kalki, having placed deer skins and lances
and tridents there, will roam over the earth, adored by foremost Brah-
manas and showing his regard for them and engaged all the while in
1 Pushya is the eighth lunar asterism consisting of three stars, of
which one in the Cancer. (Vide Wilson's Diet )-~T.
VANA PARVA 413
slaughtering thieves and robbers. And he will exterminate the thievs
and robbers amid heart-rending cries of 'Oh, father — ' 'Oh, mother I — '
'0 son /' and the like, and O Bharata, when sin will thus have been
rooted out and virtue will flourish on arrival of the Krita age, men will
once more betake themselves to the practice of religious rites. And in
the age that will set in, viz., the Krita, well-planted gardens and sacri-
fical compounds and large tanks and educational centres for the culti-
vation of Brahmanic lore and ponds and temples will re-appear every-
where. And the ceremonies and rites of sacrifices will also begin to be
performed. And the Brahmanas will become good and honest, and the
regenerate ones, devoted to ascetic austerities, will become Munis and
the asylums of ascetics, which had before been filled with wretches will
once more be homes of men devoted to truth, and men in general will
begin to honour and practise truth. And all seeds, sown on earth, will
grow, and, O monarch, every kind of crop will grow in every season.
And men will devotedly practise charity and vows and observances, and
the Brahmanas devoted to meditation and sacrifices will be of virtuous
soul and always cheerful, and the rulers of the earth will govern their
kingdoms v irtuously, and in the Krita age, the Vaisy as will be devoted
to the practices of their order. And the Brahmanas will be devoted to
their sixfold duties (of study, teaching, performance of sacrifices on
their own account, officiating at sacrifices performed by others, charity
and acceptance of gifts), and the Kshatriyas will be devoted to feats of
prowess. And Sudras will be devoted to service of the three (high)
orders.
"These, O Yudhishthira, are the courses of the Krita, the Treta, the
Dwapara and the succeeding age. I have now narrated to thee every-
thing. I have also told thee, O son of Pandu, the periods embraced by
the several Yugas as generally known. I have now told thee every-
thing appertaining to both the past and the future as narrated by Vayu
in the Purana (which goes by his name and) which is adored by the
Bishis. Being immortal I have many a time beheld and otherwise ascer-
tained the courses of the world. Indeed, all I have seen and felt I have
now told thee. And, O thou of unfading glory, listen now with thy
brothers to something else I will presently tell thee for clearing thy
doubts about religion ! O thou foremost of v irtuous men, thou shouldst
always fix thy soul on virtue, for, O monarch, a person of virtuous soul
obtaineth bliss both here and hereafter. And, O sinless one, listen to
the auspicious words that I will now speak to thee. Never do thou
humiliate a Brahmana, for a Brahmana, if angry, may by his vow destroy the
three worlds"
Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these words of Markandeya,
the royal head of the Kurus, endued with intelligence and possessed of
414 MAHABHABATA
great lustre, spoke these words of great wisdom, 'O muni, if I am to
protect my subjects, to what course of conduct should I adhere ? And
how should I behave so that I may not fall away from the duties of my
order ?'
"Markandeya, hearing this, answered, 'Be merciful to all crea-
tures, and devoted to their good. Love all creatures, scorning none.
Be truthful in speech, humble, with passions under complete control,
and always devoted to the protection of thy people. Practise virtue
and renounce sin, and worship thou the manes and the god and what-
ever thou mayst have done from ignorance or carelessness, wash them
off and expiate them by charity. Renouncing pride and vanity, be thou
possessed of humility and good behaviour. And subjugating the whole
earth, rejoice thou and let happiness be thine. This is the course of
conduct that accords with virtue. I have recited to thee all that was
and all that will be regarded as virtuous. There is nothing appertaining
to the past or the future that is unknown to thee. Therefore, O son,
take not to heart this present calamity of thine. They that are wise
are never overwhelmed when they are persecuted by Time. O thou of
mighty arms, the very dwellers of heaven cannot rise superior to Time.
Time afflicts all creatures. O sinless one, let not doubt cross thy mind
regarding the truth of what I have told thee, for, if thou suffer est
doubt to enter thy heart, thy virtue will suffer diminution ! O bull of
the Bharata race, thou art born in the celebrated family of the Kurus.
Thou shouldst practise that which I have told thee, in thought, word
and deed.'
Yudhishthira answered, "O thou foremost of the regenerate ones,
at thy command I will certainly act according to all the instructions
thou hast given me, and which, O lord, are all so sweet to the ear. O
foremost of Brahmanas, avarice and lust I have none, and neither fear
nor pride nor vanity. I shall, therefore, O lord, follow all that thou
hast told me."
Vaisampayana continued, "Having listened to the words of the
intelligent Markandeya, the sons of Pandu, O king, along with the
wielder of the bow called Sarnga, and all those bulls among Brahmanas,
and all others that were there, became rilled with joy. And having
heard those blessed words appertaining to olden time, from Markandeya
gifted with wisdom, their hearts were rilled with wonder."
SECTION CLXLI
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Janamejaya said, "It behoveth thee to narrate to me in full the
greatness of the Brahmanas even as the mighty ascetic Markandeya had
expounded it to the sons of Pandu."
"Vaisampayana said, 'The eldest son of Pandu had asked Markan-
deya saying, It behoveth thee to expound to me the greatness of
Brahmanas.' Markandeya answered him saying, 'Hear, O king, about
the behaviour of Brahmanas in days of old.'
"And Markandeya continued, 'There was a king, by name Pari-
kshit in Ayodha and belonging to the race of Ikshvaku. And once
upon a time Parikshit went a-hunting. And as he was riding alone on
a horse chasing deer, the animal led him to a great distance (from the
habitations of men). And fatigued by the distance he had ridden and
afflicted with hunger and thirst he beheld in that part of the country
whither he had been led, a dark and dense forest, and the king, behold-
ing that forest, entered it and seeing a delightful tank within the forest,
both the rider and the horse bathed in it, and refreshed by the bath and
placing before his horse some stalks and fibres of the lotus, the king sat
by the side of the tank. And while he was lying by the side of the tank,
he heard certain sweet strains of music, and hearing those strains, he re-
flected, 'I do not see here the foot-prints of men. Whose and whence then
these strains ?' And the king soon beheld a maiden of great beauty
gathering flowers singing all the while, and the maiden soon came before
the king, and the king thereupon asked her, 'Blessed one, who art thou
and whose ?' And she replied, 1 am a maiden.' And the king said, 'I
ask thee to be mine.' And the maiden answered, 'Give me a pledge, for
then only I can be thine, else not.1 And the king then asked about the
pledge and the girl answered, 'Thou wilt never make me cast my eyes
on water', and the king saying, 'So be it,' married her, and king Parikshit
having married her sported (with her) in great joy, and sat with her in
silence, and while the king was staying there, his troops reached the
spot, and those troops beholding the monarch stood surrounding him,
and cheered by the presence of troops, the king entered a handsome
vehicle accompanied by his (newly) wedded wife. And having arrived
at his capital he began to liv e with her in privacy. And persons that
were even near enough to the king could not obtain any interview with
him and the minister-in-chief enquired of those females that waited
upon the king, asking, 'What do ye do here ?' And those women replied,
'We behold here a female of unrivalled beauty. And the king sporteth
with her, having married her with a pledge that he would never show
416 MAHABHARATA
her water.' And hearing those words, the minister-in-chief caused an
artificial forest to be created, consisting of many trees with abundant
flowers and fruits, and he caused to be excavated within that forest and
towards one of its sides a large tank, placed in a secluded spot and
full of water that was sweet as Amrita. The tank was well covered with
a net of pearls. Approaching the king one day in private, he addressed
the king saying, 'This is a fine forest without water. Sport thou here
joyfully f And the king at those words of his minister entered that forest
with that adorable wife of his, and the king sported with her in that
delightful forest, and afflicted with hunger and thirst and fatigued and
spent, the king beheld a bower of Madhavi creepers1, and enteting that
bower with his dear one, the king beheld a tank full of water that was
transparent and bright as nectar, and beholding that tank the king sat on
its bank with her and the king told his adorable wife, 'Cheerfully do
thou plunge into this water P And she, hearing those words plunged into
the tank. But having plundged into the water she appeared not above
the surface, and as the king searched, he failed to discover any trace of
her. And the king ordered the waters of the tank to be baled out, and
thereupon he beheld a frog sitting at the mouth of a hole, and the king
was enraged at this and promulgated an order saying, 'Let frogs be
slaughtered everywhere in my dominions ! Whoever wishes to have an
interview with me must come before me with a tribute of dead frogs.'
And accordingly when frogs began to be terribly slaughtered, the affright-
ed frogs represented all that had happened unto their king, and the king
of the frogs assuming the garb of an ascetic came before the king Pari-
kshit, and having approached the monarch, he said,' 4O king, give not
thyself up to wrath ! Be inclined to grace. It behoveth thee not to slay
the innocent frogs.' Here occurs a couple of Slokas. (They are these) :—
*O thou of unfading glory, slay not the frogs ! Pacify thy wrath ! The
prosperity and ascetic merits of those that hav e their souls steeped in
ignorance suffer diminution ! Pledge thyself not to be angry with the
frogs ! What need hast thou to commit such sin ! What purpose will
be served by slaying the frogs P Then king Parikshit whose soul was
filled with woe on account of the death of her that was dear to him,
answered the chief of the frogs who had spoken to him thus, 1
will not forgive the frogs. On the other hand, I will slay them. By
these wicked wretches hath my dear one been swallowed up. The frogs,
therefore, always deserve to be killed by me. It behoveth thee not,
O learned one, to intercede on their behalf.' And hearing these words
of Parikshit, the king of the frogs with his senses and mind much pained
said, 'Be inclined to grace, O king ! I am the king of the frogs by name.
1 An Indian creeper of the order or Goertnera racemosa. It bears
large white flowers of much fragrance — T.
VANA PARVA 417
Ayu. She who was thy wife is my daughter of the name of Susobhana.
This, indeed, is an instance of her bad conduct. Before this, many kings
were deceived by her.1 The king thereupon said to him, 'I desire to have
her. Let her be granted to me by thee f The king of the frogs there-
upon bestowed his daughter upon Parikshit, and addressing her said,
'Wait upon and serve the king.1 And having spoken these words to his
daughter, he also addressed her in wrath saying, 'Since thou hast deceiv-
ed many kings for this untruthful behaviour of thine, thy offspring will
prove disrespectful to Brahmanas !' But having obtained her, the king
became deeply enamoured of her in consequence of her companionable
virtues, and feeling that he had, as it were, obtained the sovereignty of
the three worlds, he bowed down to the king of the frogs and reverenced
him in due form and then with utterance choked in joy and tears said,
1 have been favoured indeed !' And the king of the frogs obtaining the
leave of his daughter, returned to the place from which he had come
and some time after the king begot three sons upon her and those sons
were named Sala and Dala and Vala, and some time after, their father,
installing the eldest of them of all on the throne and setting his heart on
asceticism, retired into the forest. One day Sala while out a-hunting,
beheld a deer and pursued it, on his car, and the prince said to his
charioteer, 'Drive thou fast.' And the charioteer, thus addressed, replied
unto the king, saying, 'Do not entertain such a purpose. This deer is in-
capable of being caught by thee. If indeed Vami horses had been yoked
to thy car, then couldst thou have taken it.1 Thereupon the king ad-
dressed his charioteer, saying, 'Tell me all about Vami horses, otherwise
I will slay thee.1 Thus addressed the charioteer became dreadfully
alarmed and he was afraid of the king and also of Vamadeva's curse and
told not the king anything and the king then lifting up his scimitar said
to him, Tell me soon, else I will slay thee.1 At last afraid of the king,
the charioteer said, 'The Vami horses are those belonging to Vamadeva ;
they are fleet as the mind.' And unto his charioteer who had said so,
the king said, 'Repair thou to the asylum of Vamadeva.' And reaching
the asylum of Vamadeva the king said unto that Eishi, 'O holy one, a
deer struck by me is flying away. It behoveth thee to make it capable
of being seized by me by granting me thy pair of Vami horses.' The Rishi
then answered him saying, 1 give thee my pair of Vami horses. But
after accomplishing thy object, my Vami pair you should soon return.'
The king then taking those steeds and obtaining the leave of the Rishi
pursued the deer, having yoked the Vami pair unto his car, and after he
had left the asylum he spoke unto his charioteer saying, 'These jewels
of steeds the Brahmanas do not deserve to possess. These should not be
returned to Vamadeva.1 Having said this and seized the deer he
22
418 MAHABHAEATA
returned to his capital and placed those steeds within the inner
apartments of the palace.
"Meanwhile the Bishi reflected, The prince is young. Having
obtained an excellent pair of animals, he is sporting with it in joy with-
out returning it to me. Alas, what a pity it is !' And reflecting in this
strain, the Eishi said unto a disciple of his, after the expiration of a
month, 'Go, O Atreya, and say to the king that if he has done with
the Vami steeds, he should return them unto thy preceptor.' And the
disciple Atreya, thereupon, repairing to the king, spoke unto him as
instructed, and the king replied saying, 'This pair of steeds deserves
to be owned by kings. The Brahmanas do not deserve to possess jewels
of such value. What business have Brahmanas with horses ? Return
thou contentedly !' And Atreya, thus addressed by the king, returned
and told his preceptor all that had happened, and hearing this sad intelli-
gence, Vamadeva's heart was filled with wrath, and repairing in person
to the king he asked him for his steeds, and the king refused to give the
Eishi what the latter asked, and Vamadeva said, 'O lord of earth, give
me thou my Vami horses. By them hast thou accomplished a task
which was almost incapable of being accomplished by thee. By trans-
grossing the practices of Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, subject not thyself,
0 king, to death by means of the terrible noose of Varuna.' And
hearing this, the king answered, 'O Vamadeva, this couple of excellent
well-trained, and docile bulls are fit animals for Brahmanas. O great
Eishi, (take them and) go with them wherever thou likest. Indeed, the
very Vedas carry persons like thee.1 Then Vamadeva said, 'O king,
the Vedas do, indeed, carry persons like us. But that is in the world
hereafter. In this world, however, O king, animals like these carry
me and persons like me as also all others.' At this the king answered,
'Let four asses carry thee, or four mules of the best kind, or even four
steeds endued with the speed of the wind. Go thou with these. This
pair of Vami horses, however, deserves to be owned by Kshatriyas.
Know thou, therefore, that these are not thine.' At this, Vamadeva
said, 'O king, terrible vows have been ordained for the Brahmanas. If
1 have lived in their observance, let four fierce and mighty Rakshasas
of terrible mien and iron bodies, commanded by me, pursue thee with
desire of slaying, and carry thee on their sharp lances, having cut up
thy body into four parts.' Hearing this, the king said, 'Let those, O
Vamadeva, that know thee as a Brahmana that in thought, word, and
deed, is desirous of taking life, at my command, armed with bright
lances and swords, prostrate thee with thy disciples before me.' Then
Vamadeva answered, 'O king, having obtained these my Vami steeds,
thou hadst said, 'I will return them.1 Therefore, give me back my Vami
steeds, so thou mayst be able to protect thy life.' Hearing this, the king
VANA PARVA 419
said, 'Pursuit of deer hath not been ordained for the Brahmanas. I do
punish thee, however, for thy untruthfulness. From this day, too,
obeying all thy commands I will, O Brahmana, attain to regions of bliss.'
Vamadeva then said, 'A Brahmana cannot be punished in thought,
word or deed. That learned person who by ascetic austerities succeedeth
in knowing a Brahmana to be so, faileth not to attain to prominence in
this world.'
"Markandeya continued, 'After Vamadeva had said thi?, there
arose, O king, (four) Rakshasas of terrible mien, and as they, with
lances in their hands, approached the king for slaying him, the latter
cried aloud, saying, If, O Brahmana, all the descendants of Ikshvaku's
race, if (my brother) Dala, if all these Vaisyas acknowledge my sway,
then I will not yield up the Vami steeds to Vamadeva, for these
men can never be virtuous.' And while he was uttering those words,
those Rakshasas slew him, and the lord of earth was soon prostrated on
the ground. And the Ikshvakus, learning that their king had been
slain, installed Dala on the throne, and the Brahmana Vamadeva there-
upon going to the kingdom (of the Ikshvakus), addressed the new
monarch, saying, 'O king, it hath been declared in all the sacred books
that persons should give away unto Brahmanas. If thou fearest sin, O
king, give me now the Vami steeds without delay.1 And hearing these
words of Varoadeva, the king in anger spoke unto his charioteer, saying,
'Bring me an arrow from those I have kept, which is handsome to behold
and tempered with poison, so that pierced by it Vamadeva may lie pros-
trate in pain, torn by the dogs.' Hearing this, Vamadeva answered, 'I
know, O king, that thou hast a son of ten years of age, called Senajita,
begotten upon thy queen. Urged by my word, slay thou that dear boy
of thine without delay by means of thy frightful arrows !'
"Markandeya continued, 'At these words of Vamadeva, O king,
that arrow of fierce energy, shot by the monarch, slew the prince in the
inner apartments, and hearing this, Dala said there and then, 'Ye
people of Ikshvaku's race, I will do ye good. I shall slay this Brahmana
today, grinding him with force. Bring me another arrow of fierce
energy. Ye lords of earth, behold my prowess now.' And at these
words of Dala, Vamadeva said, 'This arrow of terrible mien and tem-
pered with poison, that thou aimest at me, thou shalt not, O ruler of
men, be able to aim nor even to shoot.' And thereupon the king said,
'Ye men of Ikshvaku's race, behold me incapable of shooting the arrow
that hath been taken up by me. I fail to compass the death of this
Brahmana. Let Vamadeva who is blessed with a long life live.' Then
Vamadeva said, Touching thy queen with this arrow, thou mayst purge
thyself of the sin (of attempting to take the life of a Brahmana)/ And
king Dala did as he was directed and the queen then addressed the Muni,
420 MAHABHABATA
and said, 1O Vamadeva, let me be able to duly instruct this wretched
husband of mine from day to day, imparting unto him words of happy
import ; and let me always wait upon and serve the Brahmanas, and by
this acquire, O Brahmana, the sacred regions hereafter.' And hearing
these words of the queen, Vamadeva said, 'O thou of beautiful eyes,
thou hast saved this royal race. Beg thou an incomparable boon. I
will grant thee whatever thou mayst ask. And, O thou faultless one,
rule thou, O princess, these thy kinsmen and this great kingdom of the
Ikshvakus !' And hearing these words of Vamadeva the princess said,
'This, O holy one, is the boon I seek, viz., that my husband may now be
freed from his sin, and that thou mayst be employed in thinking of the
weal of his son and kinsmen. This is the boon that I ask, O thou fore-
most of Brahmanas !'
"Markandeya continued, 'Hearing these words of th* queen, that
Muni, O thou foremost of the Kuru race, said, lSo be it.1 And thereupon
king Dala became highly glad and gave unto the Muni his Vami steeds,
having bowed down unto him with reverence !' '
SECTION CLXLII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "The Bishis, the Brahmanas, and Yudhishthira
then asked Markandeya, saying, 'How did the Bishi Vaka become so
long-lived ?1
Thus asked by them, Markandeya answered, 'The royal sage Vaka
is a great ascetic and endowed with long life. Ye need not enquire into
the reason of this.'
"Hearing this, O Bharata, the son of Kunti, king Yudhishthira the
just, along with his brothers, then asked Markandeya saying, 'It hath
been heard by us that both Vaka and Dalvya are of great souls and
endowed with immortality and that those Bishis, held in universal rever-
ence, are the friends of the chief of the gods. O Holy One, I desire
to listen to the (history of the) meeting of Vaka and Indra that is full
of both joy and woe. Narrate thou that history unto us succinctly.'
"Markandeya said, 'When that horrible conflict between the gods
and the Asuras was over, Indra became the ruler of the three worlds
The clouds showered rain copiously. And the dwellers of the world
had abundance of harvests, and were excellent in disposition. And
devoted to virtue, they always practised morality and enjoyed peace.
And all persons, devoted to the duties of their respective orders, were
perfectly happy and cheerful, and the slayer of Vala, beholding all the
creatures of the world happy and cheerful, became himself filled with
joy. And he of a hundred sacrifices, the ehief of the gods, seated on the
VANA PARVA 421
back of his elephant Airavata, surveyed his happy subjects, and he cast
his eyes on delightful asylums of Rishis, on various auspicious rivers,
towns full of prosperity, and villages and rural regions in the enjoyment
of plenty. And he also cast his eyes upon kings devoted to the practice
of virtue and well-skilled in ruling their subjects. And he also looked
upon tanks and reservoirs and wells and lakes and smaller lakes all full
of water and adored by best of Brahmanas in the observance, besides,
of various excellent vows, and then descending on the delightful earth,
O king, the god of a hundred sacrifices, proceeded towards a blessed
asylum teeming with animals and birds, situate by the side of the sea,
in the delightful and auspicious regions of the East on a spot overgrown
with abundance of vegetation. And the chief of the gods beheld Vaka
in that asylum, and Vaka also, beholding the ruler of the Immortals,
became highly glad, and he worshipped Indra by presenting him with
water to wash his feet, a carpet to sit upon, the usual offering of the
Arghya, and fruit and roots. And the boon-giv ing slayer of Vala, the
divine ruler of those that know not old age, being seated at his ease,
asked Vaka the following question, :O sinless Muni, thou hast lived for a
hundred years ! Tell me, O Brahmana, what the sorrows are of those
that are immortal !'
'Markandeya continued, 'Hearing this, Vaka answered, saying,
'Life with persons that are disagreeable, separation from those that are
agreeable and beloved, companionship with the wicked, these are the
evils which they that are immortal have to bear. The death of sons
and wives, of kinsmen and friends, and the pain of dependence on
others, are some of the greatest of evils. (These may all be noticed in
a deathless life). There is no more pitiable sight in the world, as I
conceive, than that of men destitute of wealth being insulted by others.
The acquisition of family dignity by those that have it not, the loss of
family dignity by those that have it, unions and disunions, — these all
are noticeable by those that lead deathless lives. How they that have
no family dignity but have prosperity, win what they have not — all
this, O god of a hundred sacrifices, is before thy very eyes ! What can
be more pitiable than the calamities and reverses sustained by the gods,
the A suras, the Gandharvas, men, the snakes, and the Eakshasas ? They
that have been of good families suffer afflictions in consequence of their
subjection to persons that are ill- born and the poor are insulted by the
rich. What can be more pitiable than these ? Innumerable examples
of such contradictory dispensations are seen in the world. The foolish
and the ignorant are cheerful and happy while the learned and the wise
suffer misery ! Plentiful instances of misery and woe are seen among
men in this world ! (They that lead deathless lives are destined to
behold all these and suffer on that account.)'
422 MAHABHARATA
"Indra then said, 'O thou of great good fortune, tell me again, what
the joys are of those persons that lead deathless lives, — joys that are
adored by gods and Rishis /'
"Vaka answered, 'If without having to associate with a wicked
friend, a man cooks scanty vegetables in his own house at the eight or
the twelfth part of the day, there can be nothing happier than that.1
He in whose case the day is not counted is not called voracious. And,
O Maghavan, happiness is even his own whose scanty vegetables are
cooked. Earned by his own efforts, without ha v ing to depend upon
any one, he that eateth even fruits and vegetables in his own house is
entitled to respect. He that eateth in another's house the food given
to him in contempt, even if that food be rich and sweet, doth what is
despicable. This, therefore, is the opinion of the wise that fie on the
food of that mean wretch who like a dog or a Rakshasa eateth at
another's house. If after treating guests and servants and offering food
to the manes a good Brahmana eateth what remains, there can be noth-
ing happier than that. There is nothing sweeter or more sacred, O thou
of a hundred sacrifices, than that food which such a person takes after
serving the guest with the first portion thereof. Each mouthful (of
rice) that the Brahmana eats after having served the guest, produces,
merit equal to what attaches to the gift of a thousand kine. And what-
ever sins such a one may have committed in his youth are all washed
away of a certainty. The water in the hands of the Brahmana that hath
been fed and honoured with a pecuniary gift (after the feeding is over)
when touched with water (sprinkled by him that feeds), instantly purges
off all the sins of the latter !' '
"Speaking of these and various other things with Vaka, the chief
of the gods went away to heaven."3
SECTION CLXLIII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Then the sons of Pandu again addressed
Markandeya saying, Thou hast told us of greatness of Brahmanas.
We desire now to hear of the greatness of the royal Kshatriyss f Thus
addressed by them, the great Rishi Markandeya spoke, 'Listen now to
1. They, therefore, that lead deathless lives can enjoy this bliss
from day to day for ever.
2. It is difficult to understand how all that Vaka says can be an
answer bo Indra's question. The chief of the gods enquires : What are
the joys of those that lead deathless lives ? Vaka breaks away unto a
confused rigmarole about the merits of independence and the religious merit
of entertaining guests and servants. All the printed editions have the
passage as rendered here. — T.
VANA PAKVA 423
the greatness of the royal Kshatriyas. A certain king of the name of
Suhotra belonging to the Kuru race went on a visit to the great Biskis.
And as he was returning from that visit, he beheld king Sivi the son
of Usinara, seated on his car, and as each came before the other, each
saluted the other as best befitted his age and each regarding himself as
the equal of the other in respect of qualities, refused to give the way to
the other. And at this juncture Narada appeared there, and beholding
what had happened, the celestial Rishi asked, 'Why is it that ye both
stand here blocking each other's way ?' And thus questioned both of
them spoke to Narada saying, 'O holy one, do not speak so. The sages of
old have declared that the way should be given to one who is superior
or to him that is abler. We, however, that stand blocking each other's
way are equal to each other in every respect. Judged properly there
is no superiority amongst us/ Thus addressed by them, Narada recited
three slokas. (They are these), 'O thou of the Kuru race, he that is
wicked behaveth wickedly even unto him that is humble ; he also that
is humble behaveth with humility and honesty unto him that is wicked!
He that is honest behaveth honestly even towards the dishonest. Why
should he not behave honestly towards him that is honest ? He that is
honest regardeth the service that is done to him, as if it were a hundred
times greater than it is. Is this not current amongst the gods themselves ?
Certainly it is the royal son of Usinara who is possessed of goodness that
is greater than thine. One should conquer the mean by charity ; the
untruthful by truth, the man of wicked deeds by forgiveness ; and the
dishonest by honesty. Both of you are large-hearted. Let one amongst
you stand aside, according to the indication of the above slokas' And
having said so Narada became silent, and hearing what Narada had said
the king of the Kuru race walking round Sivi, and praising his numerous
achievements, gave him the way and went on in his course. It was
even thus that Narada had described the high blessedness of the royal
Kshatriyas.' "
SECTION CLXLIV
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Markandeya continued, "Listen now to another story. One day as
king Yayati, the son of Nahusha, was sitting on his throne, surrounded
by the citizens, there came unto him a Brahmana desirous of soliciting
wealth for his preceptor, and approaching the king, the Brahmana said,
1O king, I beg of thee wealth for my preceptor according to my cove-
nant.' And the king said, 'O Holy One, tell me what thy covenant is.'
And thereupon the Brahmana said, 'O king, in this world when men
are asked for alms, they entertain contempt for him that asketh it. I
therefore, ask thee, O king, with what feelings thou wilt give me what
424 MAHABHARATA
I ask and upon which I have set my heart.' And the king replied saying,
'Having given away a thing,'«I never boast of it. I never also listen to
solicitations for things that cannot be given. I listen, however, to pray-
ers for things that can be given and giving them away I always become
happy. I will give thee a thousand kine. The Brahmana that asks me
for a gift is always dear to me I am never angry with the person that
begs of me and I am never sorry for having given away a thing !' And
the Brahmana then obtained from the king a thousand kine and went
away."
SECTION CLXLV
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "The son of Pandu again addressed the Rishi
and said, 'Speak thou unto us of the high fortune of royal Kshatriyas !'
And Markandeya said, 'There were two kings of the name of Vrisha-
darbha and Seduka and both of them were conversant with morals and
with weapons of attack and defence. And Seduka knew that Vrisha-
darbha had from his boyhood an unuttered vow that he would give
no other metal unto Brahmanas save gold and silver. And once on a time
a Brahmana having completed his study of the Vedas came unto Seduka
and uttering a benediction upon him begged of him wealth for his
preceptor, saying, 'Give me a thousand steeds.' And thus addressed,
Seduka said unto him, 'It is not possible for me to give thee this for thy
preceptor. Therefore, go thou unto king Vrishadarbha, for, O
Brahmana, he is a highly v irtuous king. Go and beg of him. He will
grant thy request. Even this is his unuttered vow.' Hearing these
words that Brahmana went to Vrishadarbha and begged of him a
thousand steeds, and the king thus solicited, struck the Brahmana with
a whip and thereupon the Brahmana said, 'Innocent as I am, why dost
thou attack me thus ?' And the Brahmana was on the point of cursing
the king, when the latter said, 'O Brahmana, dost thou curse him that
doth not give thee what thou askest ? Or, is this behaviour proper for
a Brahmana?' And the Brahmana said, 'O king of kings, sent unto
thee by Seduka, I come before thee for this.' The king said, 'I will give
thee now whatever tribute may come to me before the morning expire.
How indeed, can I send away the man empty-handed who hath been
whipped by me.' And having said this the king gave unto that
Brahmana the entire proceeds of that day and that was more than the
value of a thousand horses.' "
SECTION CLXLVI
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'One day it was resolved by the gods that they
should descend on the earth and try the goodness and virtue of king Sivi,
the son of Usinara. And addressing each other, — 'Well' — Agni and Indra
came to the earth. And Agni took the form of a pigeon flying away from
Indra who pursued him in the form of a hawk, and that pigeon fell upon
the lap of king Sivi who was seated on an excellent seat. And the priest
thereupon addressing the king said, 'Afraid of the hawk and desirous of
saving its life, this pigeon hath come to thee for safety. The learned have
said that the falling of a pigeon upon one's body forebodeth a great danger.
Let the king that understands omens give away wealth for saving himself
from the danger indicated.' And the pigeon also addressed the king and said,
'Afraid of the hawk and desirous of saving my life I have come to thee for
protection. I am a Muni. Having assumed the form of a pigeon, I come
to thee as a seeker of thy protection. Indeed, I seek thee as my life.
Know me as one possessed of Vedic lore, as one leading the Brahmacharya
mode of life, as one possessed also of self-control and ascetic virtues. And
know me further as one that has never spoken disagreeably unto his precep-
tor, as one possessed of every virtue indeed, as one that is sinless. I repeat
the Vedas, I know their prosody ; indeed, I have studied all the Vedas
letter by letter. I am not a pigeon. Oh, do not yield me up to the hawk.
The giving up of a learned and pure Brahmana can never be a good gift.1
And after the pigeon said so, the hawk addressed the king, and said, 'Crea-
tures do not come into the world in the same particular order. In the order
of creation, thou mayst, in a former birth, have been begotten by this
pigeon. It is not proper for thee, 0 king, to interfere with my food by
protecting this pigeon (even though he might have beon thy father).' And
thus addressed, the king said, 'Hath any one, before this, seen birds
thus speak the pure speech of man ? Knowing what this pigeon sayeth,
and this hawk also, how can we act to-day according to virtue ? He that
giveth up an affrighted creature seeking protection, unto its foe, doth not
obtain protection when he is in need of it himself. Indeed, the very clouds
do not shower rain seasonably for him, and the seeds though scattered do
not grow for him. He that giveth up an afflicted creature seeking protec-
tion unto its foe, hath to see his offspring die in childhood* The ancestor
of such a person can never dwell in heaven ; indeed, the very gods decline
to accept the libations of clarified butter poured by him into the fire. He
that giveth up an affrighted creature seeking protection, unto its foe, is
struck with the thunder-bolt by the gods with Indra at their head. The
food that he eateth is unsanctified, and he, of a narrow soul, falleth from
heaven very soon. 0 hawk, let the people of the Sivi tribe place before
thee a bull cooked with rice instead of this pigeon. And let them also
28
426 MAHABHAKATA
carry to the place where thou livesb in joy, meat in abundance.' And hear-
ing this, the hawk said, '0 king, I do not ask for a bull, nor, indeed, any
other meat, nor meat more in quantity than that of this pigeon. It hath
been given to me by the gods. The creature, therefore, is my food today
in consequence of its death that hath been ordained. Therefore, 0 monarch,
give it up to me.' Thus addressed by the hawk, the king said, 'Let my men
see and carefully carry the bull to thee with every limb entire. Let that
bull be the ransom of this creature afflicted with fright and let it be carried
to thee before my eyes. Oh, slay not this pigeon ! I will yield up my
very life, yet I would not give up this pigeon. Dost thou not know, 0 hawk,
that this creature looketh like a sacrifice with the Soma juice ? O blessed
one, cease to take so much trouble for it. I cannot, by any means, yield up
the pigeon to thee. Or, 0 hawk, if it pleases thee, command me to do
some such thing which I may do for thee, which may be agreeable to thee,
and upon doing which the men of the Sivi tribe may yet in joy bless me in
terms of applause. I promise thee that I will do what thou mayst bid me
do.1 And at this appeal of the king, the hawk said, '0 king, if thou givest
me as much flesh as would be equal to the weight of the pigeon, cutting it
off thy right thigh ; then can the pigeon be properly saved by thee ; then
wouldst thou do what would be agreeable to me and what the men of the
Sivi tribe would speak of in terms of praise.' And the king agreed to this
and he cut off a piece of flesh from his right thigh and weighed it against
the pigeon. But the pigeon weighed heavier. And thereupon the king cut
off another piece of his flesh, but the pigeon still weighed heavier, and then
the king cut off pieces of flesh from all parts of his body and placed them
on the scale. But the pigeon still weighed heavier, and then the king him-
self ascended the scale and he felt no grief at this and beholding this, the
hawk disappeared there saying — (The pigeon hath been) Saved. — And the
king asked the pigeon saying, 'O pigeon, let the Si vis know who the hawk
is. None but the lord of the universe could do as he did. O Holy One,
answer thou this question of mine !' And the pigeon then said, 'I am the
smoke-bannered Agni called also Vaiswanara. The hawk is none other
than Sachi's lord armed with the thunder-bolt. O son of Suratha, thou
art a bull among men. We came to try thee. These pieces of flesh, 0 king,
that thou hast cut off with thy sword from thy body for saving me have
caused gashes in thy body. I will make these marks auspicious and hand-
some and they will be of the colour of gold and emit a sweet perfume, and
earning great fame and respected by the gods and the Eishis thou shalt
long rule these subjects of thine, and a son will spring from thy flank who
shall be called Kapataroman. 0 king, thou shalt obtain this son of the
name of Kapataroman from out of thy own body and thou wilt behold him
become the foremost of the Saurathas, blazing with renown, possessed of
bravery and great personal beauty 1 "
SECTION CLXLVII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "And the son of Pandu once more addressed
Markandeya, saying, 'Tell us again of the great good fortune of kings/ And
Markandeya said, 'There came unto the horse-sacrifice of king Ashtaka of
Viswamitra's race, many kings. And there came unto that sacrifice the
three brothers also of that king, viz., Pratardana, Vasumanas, and Sivi,
the son of Usinara. And after the sacrifice was completed, Ashtaka was
proceeding on his car along with his brothers when they all beheld Narada
coming that way and they saluted the celestial Rishi and said unto him,
'Bide thou on this car with us. And Narada, saying, So be it, mounted on
the car, and one among those kings having gratified the holy and celestial
Rishi Narada, said, '0 Holy One, I desire, to ask thee something.' And the
Rishi said, 'Ask.' And the person, thus permitted, said, 'All four of us are
blessed with long lives and have indeed every virtue. We shall, therefore,
be permitted to go to a certain heaven and dwell there for a leng period.
Who amongst us, however, O king, shall fall down first ?' Thus ques-
tioned the Rishi said, 'This Ashtaka shall first come down.' And thereupon
the enquirer asked, 'For what cause ?' And the Rishi answered, 'I lived for a
few days in the abode of Ashtaka. He carried me (one day) on his car out
of the town and there I beheld thousands of kine distinguished from one
another by difference of hue. And beholding those kine I asked Ashtaka
whose they were and Ashtaka answered me, saying, '/ have given away these
kine. By this answer he gave expression to his own praise. It for this
answer of his that Ashtaka shall have to come down.' And after Narada
had said so, one of them again enquired, saying, 'Three of us then will stay
in heaven. Amongst us three, who shall fall down first ?' And the Rishi
answered, 'Pratardana.' And the enquirer asked, 'Eor what cause ?' And
the Rishi answered, 'I lived for some days in the abode of Pratardana also.
And he carried me on his car one day. And while doing so, a Brahmana
asked him saying, 'Give me a horse !' And Pratardana replied, 'After
returning, I will give thee one V And thereupon the Brahmana said, 'Let it
be given to me soon. And as the Brahmana spoke those words, the king
gave unto him the steed that had been yoked on the right-hand wheel of
the car. And there came unto him another Brahmana desirous of obtain-
ing a steed. And the king having spoken to him in the same way, gave
him the steed that had been yoked on the left wheel of his car. And
having given away the horse unto him, the king proceeded on his journey.
And then there came unto the king another Brahmana desirous of obtain-
ing a horse. And the king soon gave him the horse on the left front of his
car, unyoking the animal. And having done so, the king proceeded on his
journey* And then there came unto the king another Brahmana desirous
428 MAHABHABAtfA
of obtaining a horse. And the king said unto him, 'Eeturning, I will
give thee a horse.1 But the Brahmana said, 'Let the steed be given to me soon.'
And the king gave him the only horse he had. And seizing the yoke of the
oar himself, the king began to draw it. And as he did so, he said, 'There
is now nothing for the Brahmanas.' The king had given away, it is true,
but he had done so with detraction. And for that speech of his, he shall
have to fall down from heaven. And after the Eishi had said so, of the two
that remained, one asked, 'Who amongst us two shall fall down ?' And
the Bishi answered, 'Vasumanas.' And the enquirer asked, 'For what
reason ?' And Narada said, 'In course of my wanderings I arrived at the
abode of Vasumanas. And at that time the Brahmanas were performing
the ceremony of Swastivachana for the sake of a flowery car.1 And
I approached the king's presence. And after the Brahmanas had completed
the ceremony, the flowery car became visible to them, And I praised that
car, and thereupon the king told me, 'Holy one, by thee hath this car been
praised. Let this car, therefore, be thine.' And after this I went to Vasu-
manas another time when I was in need of a (flowery) car. And I admired
the car, and the king said, 'It is thine.' And I went to the king a third
time and admired the car again. And even then the king exhibiting the
flowery car to the Brahmanas, cast his eyes on me, and said, 'O holy one,
thou hast praised the flowery car sufficiently. ' And the king only said these
words, without making me a gift of that car. And for this he will fall down
from heaven.'
"And one among them said, 'Of the one who is to go with thee, who
will go and who will fall down ?' And Narada answered, saying, 'Sivi
will go, but I will fall down.' 'For what reason ?' asked the enquirer.
And Narada said, 'I am not the equal of Sivi. For one day a Brahmana
came unto Sivi and addressing him, said, '0 Sivi, I came to thee for food/
And Sivi replied unto him, saying, 'What shall I do ? Let me have thy
orders.' And the Brahmana answered, 'This thy son known by the name
of Vrihadgarbha should be killed. And, 0 king, cook him for my food.'
And hearing this, I waited to see what would follow. And Sivi then killed
his son and cooking him duly and placing that food in a vessel and taking
it upon his head, he went out in search of the Brahmana and while Sivi
was thus seeking, for the Brahmana, some one told him, 'The Brahmana
1 The ceremony of Swastivachana is described to be "a religious rite,
preparatory to any important observance, in which the Brahmanas strew
boiled rice on the ground, and invoked the blessings of the gods on the cere-
mony about to commence" (Vide Wilson's Diet.) — T.
A flowery car was, probably, one ef celestial make that the kings,
procured from heaveu by performing costly rites and ceremonies. These
were sometimes exhibited to the people, and prior to their exhibition, the
ceremony of Swastivachana was performed. — T.
VANA PAEVA 429
thou seekest, having entered thy city, is Betting fire to thy abode and he is
also setting fire, in wrath, to thy treasury, thy arsenal, the apartments of
the females and thy stables for horses and elephants.' And Sivi heard all
this, without change of colour, and entering his city spoke unto the Brah-
mana, 'O holy one, the food has been cooked.' And the Brahmana hearing
this spoke not a word and from surprise he stood with downcast looks.
And Sivi with a view to gratifying the Brahmana said, '0 holy one, eat
thou this.' And the Brahmana looking at Sivi for a moment said, 'Eat it
thyself.1 And thereupon Sivi said, 'Let it be so.' And Sivi cheerfully taking
the vessel from his head desired to eat it and thereupon the Brahmana
caught hold of Sivi's hand and addressing him said, 'Thou hast conquered
wrath. There is nothing that thou canst not give unto the Brahmanas.'
And saying this, that Brahmana adored Sivi, and then as Sivi cast his eyes
before him, he beheld his son standing like a child of the gods, decked in
ornaments and yielding a fragrance from his body and the Brahmana,
having accomplished all this, made himself visible and it was Vidhatri him-
self who had thus come in that guise to try that royal sage, and after
Vidhatri had disappeared, the counsellors addressed the king, saying, 'Thou
knowest everything. For what didst thou do all this ?' And Sivi answered,
'It was not for fame, nor for wealth, nor from desire of acquiring objects of
enjoyment that I did all this. This course is not sinful. It is for this that
I do all this. The path which is trodden by the virtuous is laudable. My
heart always inclineth towards such a course. This high instance of Sivi's
blessedness I know, and I have, therefore, narrated it duly !' *'
SECTION CLXLVIII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "The sons of Pandu and those EisJiis then asked
Markandeya, 'Is there anybody that is blessed with longer life than thou?'
And Markandeya answered them, saying, 'There is without doubt, a royal
sage of the name of Indradyumna and his virtue having diminished,
he fell from heaven, crying, 'My achievements are lost !' And he
came unto me and asked, 'Dost thou know me ?' And I answered
him, saying, 'From our anxiety to acquire religious merit we do not confine
ourselves to any home. We live but for a night in the same village or
town. A person like us, therefore, cannot possibly know thy pursuits.
The fasts and vows we observe render us weak in body and unable to follow
any worldly pursuits on our own behalf. Hence, one like us cannot
possibly know thee.' He then asked me, 'Is there any one who is longer-
lived than thou ?' I answered him, saying, 'There liveth on the Himavat
an owl of the name of Pravarakarna. He is older than I. He may
know thee. The part of the Himavat where he dwelleth is far off from
here.' And at this Indradyumna became a horse and carried me to where
430 MAHABHAEATA
that owl lived and the king asked the owl, saying, 'Dost thou know me ?'
And the owl seemed to reflect for a moment and then said unto the king,
*I do not know thee.' And the royal sage Indradyumna thereupon asked
the owl, 'Is there any one who is older than thou ?' And thus asked the
owl answered, saying, 'There is a lake of the name of Indradyumna. In
that lake dwelleth a crane of the name of Nadijangha. He is older than
wo. Ask thou him.' And at this king Indradyumna taking both myself
and the owl went to that lake where the crane Nadijangha dwelt. And
that crane was asked by us, 'Dost thou know the king Indradyumna ?'
And the crane thereupon seemed to reflect a little and then said, 'I do not
know king Indradyumna.' And the crane was asked by us, 'Is there any
one who is older than thou ?' And he answered us, saying, 'There dwelleth
in this very lake a tortoise of the name of Akupara. He is older than I.
He may know something of this king. Therefore, enquire ye of Akupara.
And then that crane gave information to the tortoise, saying, 'It is inten-
ded by us to ask thee something. Please come to us.' And hearing this
the tortoise came out of the lake to that part of the bank where we all were
and as he came there we asked him, saying, 'Dost thou know this king
Indradyumna ?' And the tortoise reflected for a moment. And his eyes
were filled with tears and his heart was much moved and he trembled all
over and was nearly deprived of his senses. And he said with joined
hands, 'Alas, do I not know this one ? He had planted the sacrificial
stake a thousand times at the time of kindling the sacrificial fire. This
lake was excavated by the feet of the cows given away by this king unto
the Brahmanas on the completion of the sacrifice. I have lived here ever
since.' And after the tortoise had said all this, there come from the celes-
tial regions a car. And an aerial voice was heard which said, addressing
Indradyumna, 'Come thou and obtain the place thou deservest in heaven!
Thy achievements are great ! Come thou cheerfully to thy place! Here
also are certain slokas : The report of virtuous deeds spreadeth over the
earth and ascendeth to heaven. As long as that report lasts, so long is the
doer said to be in heaven. The man whose evil deeds are bruited about, is
said to fall down and live, as long as that evil report lasts in the lower
regions. Therefore should man be virtuous in his acts if he is to gain
Heaven. And he should seek refuge in virtue, abandoning a sinful heart.'
' 'And hearing these words, the king said, 'Let the car stay here
as long as I do not take these old persons to the places whence I brought
them. And having brought me and the owl Pravarakarna to our res-
pective places, he went away, riding on that car, to the place that was
fit for him. Being long-lived, I witness all this.' "
Vaisampayana continued, "It was thus that Markandeya narrated
all this unto the son of Pandu. And after Markandeya finished, the
sons of Pandu said, 'Blessed be thou ! Thou hadst acted properly in
VANA PARVA 431
causing king Indradyumna who had fallen from Heaven to regain his
sphere !' And Markandeya answered them, saying, 'Devaki's son,
Krishna, also had thus raised the royal sage Nriga who had sunk in hell
and caused him to regain Heaven !' "
SECTION CLXLIX
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "King Yudhishthira, hearing from the illustrious
Markandeya the story of the royal sage Indradyumna's regaining of
Heaven, again asked the Muni, saying, '0 great Muni, tell me in what
condition should a man practise charity in order to gain admission into
the regions of Indra ? Is it by practising charity while leading a domestic
mode of life, or in boyhood, or in youth, or in old age ? 0, tell me about
the respective merits reaped from the practice of charity in those different
stages of life ?'
Markandeya said, 'Life that is futile is of four kinds. Charity also
that is futile is of sixteen kinds. His life is vain who hath no son ; and
his also who is out of pale of virtue : and his too who liveth on the
food of other ; and, lastly, his who cooketh for himself without giving
therefrom unto the Pitris, the gods, and the guests, and who eateth of it
before these all. The gift to one that has fallen away from the practice
of virtuous vows, as also the gift of wealth that has been earned wrongly,
are both in vain. The gift to a fallen Brahmana, that to a thief, that
also to a preceptor that is false, is in vain. The gift to an untruthful
man, to a person that is sinful, to one that is ungrateful, to one that
officiates at sacrifices performed by all classes of people residing in a
village, to one that sells the Vedas,1 to a Brahmana that cooks for
Sudra, to one that too by birth is a Brahmana but who is destitute of the
occupations of his order, is in vain. The gift to one that has married a
girl after the accession of puberty, to females, to one that sports with
snakes, and to one that is employed in menial offices, is also in vain.
These sixteen kinds of gifts are productive of no merits. That man who
with mind clouded with darkness giveth away from fear or anger, en-
joyeth the merit of such gift while he is in the womb of his mother.
The man who (under other circumstances) maketh gifts unto the Brah-
manas, enjoyeth the fruit thereof while he is in old age. Therefore, O
king, the man who wishes to win the way of heaven, should, under all
conditions, make gifts unto Brahmanas of everything that he wishes to
give away.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'By what means do Brahmanas, who accept
gifts from all the four orders, save others as well as themselves ?'
1 A man is said to sell the Vedas who lectures on the Vedas taking
fees from the hearers.
432 MAHABHABATA
"Markandeya said, 'By Japa, J and Mantras, 2 and Homa, s and the
study of the Vedas, the Brahmanas construct a Vedic boat4 wherewith
they save both others and themselves. The gods themselves are pleased
with that man who gratifieth the Brahmanas. Indeed, a man may attain
heaven at the command of a Brahmana. Thou wilt, O king, without
doubt ascend to regions of everlasting bliss, in consequence of thy wor-
ship of the Pitris and the gods, and thy reverence for the Brahmanas,
even though thy body is filled with phlegmatic humours and withal so
dull and inert ! He that desires virtue and heaven should adore the
Brahmanas. One should feed Brahmanas with care on occasions of
Sraddhas, although those among them that are cursed or fallen should
be excluded. They also should be carefully excluded that are either
excessively fair or excessively black, that have diseased nails, that are
lepers, that are deceitful, that are born in bastardy of widows or of
women having husbands alive ; and they also that support themselves
by the profession of arms. That Sraddha which is censurable, consumeth
the performer thereof like fire consuming fuel. If they that are to be
employed in Sraddhas happen to be dumb, blind, or deaf, care should
be taken to employ them along with Brahmanas conversant with the
Vedas. 0 Yudhishthira, listen now unto whom thou shouldst give.
He that knoweth all the Vedas should give only to that able Brahmana
who is competent to rescue both the giver and himself, for he, indeed,
is to be regarded as able who can rescue both the giver and himself. O
son of Pritha, the sacred fires do nob receive such gratification from
libations of clarified butter, from offerings of flowers and sandal and
other perfumed pastes as from the entertainment of guests. Therefore,
do thou strive to entertain guests, 0 son of Pandu ! 0 king, they that
give unto guests water to wash their feet; butter to rub over their
(tired) legs, light during the hours of darkness, food, and shelter, have
not to go before Yama. The removal (after worship) of the flowery
offerings unto the gods, the removal of the remnants of a Branmana's
feast, waiting (upon a Brahmana) with perfumed pastes, and the massag-
ing of a Brahmana's limbs, are, each of them, O foremost of kings,
productive of greater merit than the gift of kine. A person, without
doubt, rescueth himself by the gift of a Kapila cow. Therefore, should
one give away a Kapila cow decked with ornaments unto Brahmanas.
O thou of the Bharata race, one should give unto a person
1 Japa is the silent recitation of particular Mantras.
2 Mantras are particular formulae of worship. They are for the
most part rythmic compositions, believed to be of great efficacy.
3 The Homa is that sacrificial rite which consists of pouring liba-
tions of clarified butter into fire.
4 Vedamayi nou. Lit, a boat made of the Vedas,
VANA PARVA 433
of good lineage and conversant with the Vedas ; unto a person that is
poor ; unto one leading a domestic mode of life but burdened with wife
and children ; unto one that daily adoreth the sacred fire ; and unto one
that hath done thee no service. Thou shouldst always give unto such per-
sons but not to them that are in affluence. What merit is there, O thou
foremost of the Bharata race, by giving unto one that is affluent ? One
cow must be given unto one Brahmana. A single cow must not be given
unto many. For if the cow so given away (unto many) be sold, the
giver's family is lost for three generations. Such a gift would not assuredly
rescue the giver nor the Brahmana that takes it. He who giveth eighty
Batis of pure gold, earneth the merit of giving away a hundred pieces
of gold for ever. He that giveth away a strong bull capable also of
drawing the plough, is certainly rescued from all difficulties and finally
goeth to heaven. He that giveth away land unto a learned Brahmana,
hath all his desires fulfilled. The tired traveller, with weakened limbs
and feet besmeared with dust, asks for the name of him that may give
him food. There are men who answer him by telling him the name.
That wise man who informs these toil-worn ones of the name of the
person who miy give them food, is, without doubt, regarded as equal in
merit unto the giver himself of food. Therefore, abstaining from other
kinds of gift, give thou food. There is no merit (arising out of gifts)
that is so great as that of giving food. The man that according to the
measure of his might gives well-cooked and pure food unto the Brahma-
nas, acquires, by that act of his, the companionship of Prajapati
(Brahma). There is nothing superior to food. Therefore, food is regard-
ed as the first and foremost of all things (to be given away). It hath
been said that food itself is Prajapati. And Prajapati is regarded as the
Year. And the Year is sacrifice. And everything is established in
sacrifice, for it is from sacrifice that all creatures, mobile and immobile,
take their origin. For this reason, it hath baen heard by us, food is the
foremost of all things. They that give away lakes and large pieces of
water, and tanks and wells, and shelter and food and they that have
sweet words for all, have not to hear the admonitions of Yama. With
him who gives rice, and wealth earned by his labour, unto Brahmana of
good behaviour, the earth is satisfied. And she poureth upon him
showers of wealth. The giver of food walketh first, after him the speaker
of truth and he that giveth unto persons that do not solicit. But the
three go to the same place.' '
Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing all this, Yudhishthira, along with
his younger brothers, impelled by curiosity, again addressed the high-
souled Markandeya, saying, 'O great Muni, what is the distance of
Yama's region from that of men ? What is its measurement ? How
also do men pass it over ? And by what means ? O, tell me all this f
24
434 MAHABHARATA
"Markandeya said, 'O king, O thou foremost of virtuous men, this
question of thine appertains to a great mystery. It is sacred and much
applauded by the Rishis. Appertaining as it also does to virtue, I will
speak of it to thee. The distance of Yama's region from the abode of
men is, O king, eighty-six thousand Yojanas I The way is over space,
without water, and very terrible to behold ! Nowhere on that road is
the shade of a tree, nowhere any water, and nowhere any resting place
in which the traveller, when fatigued, may rest for some moments.
And men and women and all on earth that have life, are forcibly led
along this way by the messengers of Yama, those creatures that obey
the mandates of the grim king. And they, Oking, that have given
horses and other good conveyances unto Brahmanas, proceed along this
way on those animals and vehicles. And they that have given umbrellas
proceed along this way with umbrellas warding off the sun's rays. And
they that hav e giv en food, proceed without hunger, while they that
have not given food proceed afflicted with hunger. And they that have
given robes, proceed along this way attired in robes while they that
have given none, proceed naked. And they that have given gold, pro-
ceed in happiness, themselves decked in ornaments. And they that
have given land, proceed with every desire completely gratified. And
they that have given grain, proceed without being afflicted with any
want. And they that hav e giv en houses, proceed happily on cars. And
those men that have given something to drink, proceed with cheerful
hearts unafflicted with thirst. And they that have giv en lights, proceed
happily, lighting the way before them. And they that have given kine,
proceed along the way happily, freed from all their sins. And they that
have fasted for a month, proceed on cars drawn by swans. And they who
have fasted for six nights, proceed on cars drawn by peacocks. And, O
son of Pandu, he that fasteth three nights upon only one meal without a
second during this period goeth into a region free from disease and
anxiety. And water hath this excellent property that it produceth
happiness in the region of Yama. And they that give water find for
themsel v es a riv er there of the name of Pushpodaka. And the giv ers
of water on the earth drink cool and ambrosial draughts from that
stream. And they that are of evil deeds have pus ordained for them.
Thus, O great king, that river serveth all purposes. Therefore, O king,
adore thou duly these Brahmanas (that are with thee). Weak in limbs
owing to the way he has walked, and besmeared with the dust of the
high-road, the traveller enquireth for the name of him who giveth
food, and cometh in hope to his house. Adore thou him with reverent
attention, for he indeed is a guest, and he is a Brahmana. The gods
with Indra at their head follow him as he proceedeth. And if he is
adored, the gods with Indra become gratified, and if he is not adored,
VANA PARVA 435
the celestials with their chief become cheerless. Therefore, O thou
foremost of kings, worship thou these Brahmanas duly. I have thus
spoken to thee upon a hundred subjects. What dost thou desire
to hear from me again ?'
"Yudhishthira said, ;O master, conversant thou art with virtue
and morality, and so I desire to repeatedly listen to thee as thou speakest
on sacred subjects appertaining to virtue and morals.'
"Markandeya said, 'O king, I will now speak on another sacred
subject appertaining to eternal interests and capable of washing off all
sins. Listen thou with rapt attention. O thou foremost of the Bharatas,
the merit equal to that of giving away a Kapilacowin (the tirtha called)
Jyeshtha-Puslikara arises from washing the feet of Brahmanas. As long as
the earth remains wet with water which a Brahmana hath touched with
his feet, so long do Pitris drink water off cups made of lotus-leaves. If
the guest is welcomed (with enquiries about his welfare), the deities of
fire become glad ; and if he is offered a seat, it is the god of a hundred
sacrifices, who is gratified. If his feet are washed, it is the Pitris who
are delighted ; and if he is fed it is Prajapati that is pleased. One should
with collected soul, give a cow when (during her throes) the feet and
head of her calf are visible, before her delivery is complete. A cow with
her calf in the air in course of falling from the uterus to the earth, is
to be regarded as equal to the earth herself. He, therefore, that giveth
away such a cow, reapeth the merit of giving away the earth. And he
that giveth away such a cow, is adored in heaven for as many thousands
of Yugas as there are bristles on the bodies of the animal and her young
one together. And, O Bharata, he that having accepted a thing in gift
giveth it away immediately unto a person that is virtuous and honest,
reapeth very great merit. Without doubt, he reapeth the fruit of giv-
ing away the whole earth to her utmost limits and with her oceans and
seas and caves, her mountains and forests and woods. That Brahmana
who eateth in silence from a plate, keeping his hands between his
knees, succeedeth in rescuing others. And those Brahmanas that ab-
stain from drink and who are never spoken of by others as having any
faults and who daily read the Samhitas, are capable of rescuing others.
Libations of butter and edible offerings should all be presented to a
Brahmana who is learned in the Vedas And as libations of clarified
butter poured into fire never go in vain, so gift to virtuous Brahmanas
learned in the Vedas can never go in vain. The Brahmanas have anger
for their weapon ; they never fight with arms of iron and steel. Indeed
the Brahmanas slay with anger like Indra slaying the Asuras with his
thunder- bolt.
Thus prelection appertaining to virtue and morality is now over.
Hearing this, the Munis of the forest of Naimisha were filled with
436 MAHABHAEATA
delight. And those ascetics were also freed from grief and anger by listen-
ing to it. And they were also purged of all their sins in consequence
of this. And, O king, those human beings that listen to it become freed
from the obligation of rebirth.'
' Yudhishthira said, 'O thou of great wisdom, what purification is
there by which a Brahmana may always keep himself pure ? I desire to
hear of it from thee, O thou foremost of all v irtuous men !'
"Markandeya answered, 'There are three kinds of purity, viz., purity
in speech, purity in deed, and purity achieved by use of water. He
that has recourse to these three different kinds of purity, attains, with-
out doubt, to heaven. That Brahmana who adoreth the goddess Sandhya
in the morning and the evening, and who recites meditatively the
sacred goddess Gayatri who is the mother of the Vedas, sanctified by the
latter, is freed from all his sins. Even if he accepts in gift the entire
earth with her oceans, he doth not, on that account, suffer the least un-
happiness. And those heavenly bodies in the sky including the sun that
may be inauspicious and hostile towards him, soon become auspicious
and favourable towards him in consequence of these acts of his, while
those stars that are auspicious and favourable become more auspicious
and more favourable in consequence of such conduct of his. And
terrible Rakshasas subsisting on animal food, or gigantic and fierce mien,
all become unable to prevail over a Brahmana who practiseth these
purifications. The Brahmanas are even like blazing fires. They incur
no fault in consequence of teaching, of officiating at sacrifices, and of
accepting gifts from others. Whether the Brahmana be cognisant of
the Vedas or ignorant of them, whether they be pure or impure, they
should never be insulted, for Brahmanas are like fires. As the fire that
blazeth up in the place set apart for the cremation of the dead is never
regarded impure on that account, so the Brahmana, be he learned or
ignorant, is always pure He is great and a very god ! Cities
that are adorned with walls and gates and palaces one after another, lose
their beauty if they are bereft of Brahmanas. That, indeed, O king, is
a city where Brahmanas accomplished in the Vedas, duly observing the
duties of their order and possessed of learning and ascetic merit, reside.
O son of Pritha, that spot, be it a wood or pasture land, where learned
Brahmanas reside, hath been called a city. And that place, O king,
becometh a tirtha also. By approaching a king that offereth protection,
as also a Brahmana possessed of ascetic merit, and by offering worship
unto both, a man may purge off his sins immediately. The learned have
said that ablutions in the sacred tirthas, recitation of the names of holy
ones, and converse with the good and virtuous, are all acts worthy of
applause. They that are v irtuous and honest always regard themselv es
as sanctified by the holy companionship of persons like themselves and
VANA PARVA 437
by the water of pure and sacred converse. The carrying of three staffs,
the vow of silence, matted hair on head, the shaving of the crown,
covering one's person with barks and deer-skins, the practice of vows,
ablutions, the worship of fire, abode in the woods, emaciating the body,
.all these are useless if the heart be not pure. The indulgence of the
six senses is easy, if purity be not sought in the object of enjoyment.
Abstinence, however, which of itself is difficult, is scarcely easy with-
out purity of the objects of enjoyment. O king of kings, among the six
senses, the mind alone that is easily moved is the most dangerous !
Those high-souled persons that do not commit sins in word, deed, heart
and soul, are said to undergo ascetic austerities, and not they that
suffer their bodies to be wasted by fasts and penances. He that hath no
feeling of kindness for relatives cannot be free from sin even if his body
be pure. That hard-heartedness of his is the enemy of his asceticism.
Asceticism, again, is not mere abstinence from the pleasures of the world.
He that is always pure and decked with virtue, he that practises kind-
ness all his life, is a Muni even though he may lead a domestic life. Such
a man is purged of all his sins. Fasts and other penances cannot destroy
sins, however much they may weaken and dry up the body that is made
of flesh and blood. The man whose heart is without holiness, suffers
torture only by undergoing penances in ignorance of their meaning. He
is never freed from sins of such acts. The fire he worshippeth doth not
consume his sins. It is in consequence of holiness and virtue alone that
men attain to regions of blessedness, and fasts and vows become efficaci-
ous. Subsistence on fruits and roots, the vow of silence, living upon
air, the shaving of the crown, abandonment of a fixed home, the wearing
of matted locks on the head, lying under the canopy of heaven, daily
fasts, the worship of fire, immersion in water, and lying on the bare
ground,- these alone cannot produce such a result. They only that are
possessed of holiness succeed, by knowledge and deeds, to conquer
disease, decrepitude and death, and acquire a high status. As seeds
that have been scorched by fire do not sprout forth, so the pains that
have been burnt by knowledge cannot effect the soul. This inert body
that is only like a block of wood when destitute of souls, is, without
doubt, short-lived like froth in the ocean. He that obtaineth a view of
his soul, the soul that resideth in every body, by help of one or half of
a rhythmic line (of the Veclas), hath no more need for anything. Some
obtaining a knowledge of identity with the Supreme Soul from but two
letters (of the Vedas) and some from hundreds and thousands of rhythmic
lines, acquire salvation, for the knowledge of one's identity with the
Supreme Soul is the sure indication of salvation. The men of old, dis-
tinguished for their knowledge, have said, neither this world nor that
hereafter nor bliss can be his who is disturbed by doubts. And belief
438 MAHABHAEATA
of one's identity with the Supreme Soul is the indication of salvation.
He that knoweth the true meaning of the Vedas, understandeth their
true use. Such a man is affrighted at the Vedic ritual like a man at
sight of a forest conflagration. Giving up dry disputation, have recourse
to Sruti and Smriti, and seek thou, with the aid of thy reason, the know-
ledge of the Undecaying One that is without a second. One's search
(after this knowledge) becometh futile from defect of means. There-
fore, should one carefully strive to obtain that knowledge by aid of the
Vedas. The Vedas are the Supreme Soul ; they are His body ; they are
the Truth. The soul that is bounded by the animal organism is incom-
petent to know Him in whom all the Vedas merge. That Supreme
Soul, however, is capable of being known by the pure intellect. The
existence of the gods as stated in the Vedas, the efficacy of acts, and the
capacity for action of being furnished with bodies, are noticeable in every
Yuga. Independence of these and annihilation are to be sought from
purity of the senses. Therefore, the suspension of the function of the
senses is the true fasting. One may attain to heaven by asceticism
one may obtain objects of enjoyment by the practice of charity and
may have his sins purged off by ablutions in tirthas. But complete
emancipation cannot be had except by knowledge.' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed, O great king, by the
Rishi, Yudhishthira of great fame then said, 'O holy one, I desire to
listen to the rules about that charity which is meritorious.' "
"Markandeya said, 'O great king, O Yudhishthira, the rules about
charity which thou wishest to hear from me are always highly regarded
by me. Listen now to the mysteries of charity as expounded in the sruti
and the smritis ! A man that performs a sraddha in the conjunction call-
ed Gajacchaya at a place that is fanned by the leaves of the Aswattha tree
enjoys the fruits thereof, O Yudhishthira, for a hundred thousand kalpas
O king, he that foundeth a dharmasala and established! there a person
to look after all comers, is crowned with the merits of all the sacrifices.
He that giveth away a horse at a tirtha where the current of the river
runneth in a direction opposite to its general course, repeath merit that
is inexhaustible. The guest that comes to one's house for food is none
other than Indra himself. If he is entertained with food, Indra himself
conferreth on the best merit that is inexhaustible. As men cross seas
by vessels, so are the givers mentioned above are saved from all their
sins. So what is given unto Brahmanas produce th, like gift of curds, in-
exhaustible merits. A gift on particular lunations produceth merit that
is twice as much as a gift on other days. That in a particular season
produceth merit ten times greater that in other seasons. That in a
particular year produceth merit a hundred times greater than in other
years. And lastly, a gift on the last day of the last month of the year
VANA PABVA 439
produceth merit that is inexhaustible. A gift also that is made while
the Sun is on the solstitial points, one again that is made on the last day
of the Sun's path through Libra, Aries, Gemini, Virgo, and Pisces, a
gift again during eclipses of the Moon and the Sun, produce merit that
is inexhaustible. The learned have also said that gifts made during the
seasons produce merit that is ten times, those made during the change
of seasons, a hundred times — and those made during the days when
Rahu is visible, a thousand times — greater than what is produced by
gifts at other time ; while a gift made on the last day of the Sun's course
through Libra and Aries produces merit that knows no diminution. O
king, no one can enjoy landed possessions unless he giveth away land,
and no one can go on cars and vehicles unless he giveth away these.
Indeed a person on rebirth obtaineth the fruition of whatever objects
he hath in view at the time of making a gift to a Brahmana. Gold hath
sprung from Fire ; the Earth from Vishnu ; and the cows from the Sun.
He, therefore, that giveth away gold, land, and kine attaineth all the
regions of Agni, Vishnu, and the Sun. There is nothing so eternal as
a gift. Where, therefore, in the three worlds is anything that is more
auspicious ? It is for this, O king, that they who have great intelligence
say that there is nothing higher and greater in the three worlds than
gift !' "
SECTION CC
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Having, O great king, heard from the illus-
trious Markandeya the history of the attainment of heaven by the royal
saga Indradyumna, Yudhishthira, that bull of the Bharata race, once
more asked that sinless Muni endued with great ascetic merit and long
life, saying, 'Thou knowest, O virtuous one, the entire host of the gods,
the Danavas, and the Rakshasas. Thou art acquainted also with various
royal geneologies and many eternal lines of Rishis I O best of
Brahmanas, there is nothing in this world that thou dost not know !
Thou knowest also, O Muni, many delightful stories about men, Snakes
and Rakshasas ; about gods, Gandharvas, and Yakshas, and, about Kinnaras
and Apsaras I I desire now to hear from thee, O best of Brahmanas, as
to why Kuvalaswa — that unvanquished king of Ikshvaku's race changed
his name, assuming another, viz., Dliundhumara. O thou best of Bhrigu's
line, I desire to know in detail why the name of Kuvalaswa of great
intelligence underwent such a change !' '
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by Yudhishthira, the
great Muni Markandeya, O Bharata, then began the history of Dhun-
dhumara !"
440 MAHABHABATA
Markandeya said, 'O royal Yuihishthira, listen to me, I will tell
thee all ! The story of Dhundhumara is a moral one. Listen to it then !
Listen now, O king, to the story of how the royal Kuvalaswa of Ikshva-
ku's race came to be known as Dhundhumara. O son, O Bharata, there
was a celebrated Rishi of the name of Utanka and, O thou of the Kuru
race, Utanka had his hermitage in a delightful wilderness. And, O great
king, the Rishi Utanka underwent ascetic austerities of the severest kind
and the lord Utanka underwent those penances for numberless years with
the object of obtaining the favours of Vishnu, and gratified with his
penances that illustrious Lord presented himself before Utanka. And
beholding the Deity, the Rishi in all humilitiy began to gratify him with
many hymns, and Utanka said, 'O thou of great effulgence, all creatures
with the gods, A uras and human beings, all things that are mobile or
immobile, even Brahma himself, the Vedas, and all things that are capa-
ble of being known, have, O lord, been created by thee ! The firmament
is thy head, O god, and the sun and the moon are thy eyes ! And, O
Unfading One, the winds are thy breath and fire thy energy ! The
directions of the horizon constitute thy arms and the great ocean thy
stomach ! And, O God, the hills and mountains constitute thy thigh
and the sky thy hips, O slayer of Madhu ! The earth constitutes thy
feet, and the plants the bristles on thy body. And, O Lord, Indra and
Soma and Agni and Varuna, indeed all the gods, the Asuras and the great
Snakes all wait upon thee with humility, adoring thee with various
hymns ! O Lord of the Universe, created things are pervaded by thee.
The great Rishis of high energy and ever plunged in ascetic meditation,
always adore thee. When thou art gratified, the universe is in peace.
And when thou art angry, terror pervadeth every soul. Thou art,
O Lord, the great dispeller of all terrors and thou art the One Supreme
male Being ! Thou art the cause of happiness of both gods and human
beings ! And, O Lord, by three steps of thine thou didst cover the
three worlds ! And it was by thee that the Asuras in the height of their
power were destroyed ! It is owing to thy prowess, O God, that the
celestials obtained peace and happiness and, O thou of great effulgence,
it was the anger that destroyed hundred great Daily a chiefs. Thou art
the Creator and destroyer of all creatures in the world. It is by adoring
thee that the gods ha v e obtained happiness. It was thus, O Yudhish-
thira, that the high-souled Utanka praised the Lord of the senses. And
Vishnu, therefore, said unto Utanka, 'I am gratified with thee. Ask
thou the boon that thou desirest'. And Utanka said, This indeed hath,
been a great boon to me, in that I have been able to behold Hari, that
eternal Being, that divine Creator, that Lord of the universe f Thus
addressed Vishnu said, 1 am gratified with this absence of all desires on
thy part and with thy devotion, O thou best of men! But, O Brahmanas,
VANA PABVA 441
O regenerate one, thou shouldst of a certainty accept some boon
from me !' Thus requested by Hari to accept a boon Utanka then, O
thou best of Bharatas, with joined hands begged a boon saying, 4O
illustrious one, O thou of eyes like lotus leaves, if thou hast been grati-
fied with me, then let my heart always rest on virtue, truth, and self-
content. And, O Lord, let my heart always turn to thee in devotion.'
And hearing these words of Utanaka, the holy one said, 4O regenerate
one, all this shall happen to thee through my grace. And there will
also appear in thee a yoga power endued with which thou shalt achieve
a great thing for the dwellers of Heaven, as also for the triple world.
Even now a great Asura of the name of Dhundhu is undergoing ascetic
penances of fierce austerity with the object of destroying the triple
world. Hear now as to who will slay that Asura. O son, there will
appear a king of invincible energy and great prowess and he will be born
in the race of Ikshvaku and will be known by the name of Vrihadaswa
who will have a son of the name of Kuvalaswa endued with great holi-
ness and self-control and celebrity. And that best of kings will be fur-
nished with yoga power springing from me and urged and commended by
thee, O regenerate Eishi, that king will be the slayer of the Asura
Dhundhu.' And having said these words unto that Brahmana, Vishnu
disappeared there and then."
SECTION CCI
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Markandeya said, "O king, after the death of Ikshvaku, a highly
virtuous king of the name of Sasada, ascending the throne of Ayodhya
ruled this earth. And from Sasada was descended Kakutstha of great
energy. And Kakutshta had a son of name Anenas. And Anenas had
a son named Prithu and Prithu had a son named Viswagaswa and
from Viswagaswa sprang Adri and from Adri sprang Yuvanaswa and
from Yuvanaswa sprang Sravastha and it was by this Sravastha that the
city called Sravasthi was built and from Sravastha was descended
Vrihadaswa and from Vrihadaswa sprang Kuvalaswa and Kuvalaswa
had twentyone thousand sons and all these sons were fierce and power-
ful and skilled in learning. And Kuvalaswa excelled his father in every
quality. And when the time came, his father Vrihadaswa installed
him — the brave and highly virtuous Kuvalaswa — on the throne. And
having thus made over the royal dignity to his son, that slayer of foes
— king Vrihadaswa of great intelligence — retired into the woods for
asceticism."
"Markandeya continued, 'O king, when the royal sage Vrihadaswa
was about to retire into the woods, that best of Brahmanas, Utanka,
25
442 MAHABHAEATA
heard of it. And Utanka who was possessed of great energy and im-
measurable soul, approached that foremost of all wielders of weapons and
best of men. And approaching him, the Rishis began to persuade him to
give up asceticism. And Utanka said, 'O king, to protect (the people)
is thy duty. It behoveth thee to do that duty of thine. Let us be free
from all anxiety through thy grace. Possessed as thou art of a great soul,
protected by thee, the earth will be freed from all dangers. Therefore,
it behoveth thee, not to retire into the woods. Great merit attaches to
the act of protecting people in this world. Such merit can never be
acquired in the woods. Let not thy heart, therefore, turn to this course.
The merit, great king, that was acquired in days of old by great royal
sages by protecting their subjects was so great that nothing equal to it
could be seen. The king should always protect his subjects. It behoveth
thee, therefore, to protect thy people. O lord of the earth, I cannot (at
present) perform my ascetic devotions peacefully. Close to my asylum
there is a sea of sands known by the name of Ujjalaka. And it occupies
a level country and is without any water. And it extends many yojanas
in length and breadth and in that desert dwells a chief of the Danavas
called Dhundhu by name. And Dhundhu is the son of Madhu and
Kaitabha, and is fierce and terrible and possessed of great prowess. And
endued with immeasurable energy, that Danava, O king, dwelleth under
the ground, and, O king, it behoveth thee to retire into the woods, having
first slain that Asura, That Asura is now lying still in the observance
of an ascetic penance of great austerity and, O king, the object he hath in
view is sovereignty over the celestials as also of the three worlds. And,
O king, having, obtained a boon from the Grandsireof all creatures, that
Asura hath become incapable of being slain by the gods and Daily as and
Rakshasas and Gandharvas. Slay thou him, O king, and blessed be thou
and let not thy heart turn to any other course. By slaying him thou
wilt without doubt, achieve a great thing and thou wilt also obtain eter-
nal and undying fame. And, O king, when at the end of every year that
wicked Asura lying covered with sands, wakes up and begins to breathe,
then the whole earth with her mountains, forests and woods begins to
tremble. And his breath raiseth up clouds of sands, and shroudeth the
very sun, and for seven days continually the earth tremble all over,
and sparks and flames of fire mixed with smoke spread far around and
for all this, O king, I cannot rest in peace in my asylum. Slay thou
him, O king, for the good of the world. Indeed, when that Asura is slain
the triple world will be in peace and happiness. That thou art compe-
tent, O king, to slay that Asura, I fully believe. Thy energy will be
enhanced by Vishnu with the addition of his own. In days of old, O
king, Vishnu gave this boon that the king who should slay this fierce
and great Asura would be pervaded by the invincible energy of Vishnu
VANA PAKVA 443
himself. Bearing that invincible Vaishnava energy in thyself, slay thou,
O great king, that Daitya of fierce prowess. Possessed as Dhundhu is
of mighty energy, no one, O king, that is endued with small energy
himself will be capable of consuming him, even if he were to strive for a
hundred years.' "
SECTION CCII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'Thus addressed by Utanka, that unvanquished
royal sage, with joined hands, O thou foremost of the Kuru race, replied
unto Utanka, saying, 'This visit of thine, O Brahamna, will not be in
vain. This my son, O holy one, known by the name of Kuvalaswa is
endued with steadiness and activity. In prowess also he is unequalled
on earth. Without doubt he will accomplish all this that is agreeable
to thee, aided by all his brave sons endued with arms like unto iron
maces. Give me leave to retire, O Brahmana, for I have now given up
my weapons.' Thus addressed by the king, that Muni of immeasurable
energy replied unto him, saying, 'So be it.' And the royal sage Vrihad-
aswa then, hav ing commended his son to obey the behest of the high-
souled Utanka, saying, 'Let it be done by thee,' himself retired into an
excellent forest.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'O holy one, O thou possessed of the wealth of
asceticism, who was this Daitya of great energy ? Whose son and whose
grandson was he ? I desire to know all this ; O thou possessed of the
wealth of asceticism I never heard of this mighty Daitya before. I desire
to know all this truly, O holy one, and with all particulars in detail, O
thou of great wisdom and ascetic wealth !'
"Markandeya said, 'O monarch, know everything as it happened,
O ruler of men, as I narrate the particulars truly, O thou of great wis-
dom ! When the world became one broad expanse of water and crea-
tures mobile and immobile were destroyed, when, O bull of the Bharata
race, the entire creation came to its end. He who is the Source and
Creator of the Universe, viz., the Eternal and unfading Vishnu, He who
is called by Munis crowned with ascetic success as the Supreme Lord of
the Universe, that Being of great holiness, then lay in Yoga sleep on the
wide hood of the Snake Sesha of immeasurable energy, ^nd the Creator
of the Universe, that highly- blessed and holy Hari, knowing no deterior-
ation, lay on the hood of that Snake encircling the whole Earth and as
the Deity lay asleep on that bed, a lotus, endued with great beauty and
effulgence equal unto that of the Sun, sprang from his navel. And from
that lotus possessed of effulgence like unto the Sun's, sprang the Grand-
sire Brahrna, that lord of the worlds who is the four Vedas, who hath
444 MAHABHABATA
four forms and four faces, who is inv incible in consequence of his own
energy and who is endued with mighty strength and great prowess and
as the Lord Hari of wondrous frame, possessed of great lustre and decked
with a crown and the Kausthubha gem and attired in purple silk, lay
stretched for many a yojana on that excellent bed furnished by the hood
of the snake itself extending far and wide, blazing, O king, in his
beauty and the lustre of his own body like a thousand Suns concentrated
in one mass. He was beheld some time after by two Danavas of great
prowess named Madhu and Kaitabha and beholding Hari (in that pos-
ture) and the Grandsire with eyes like lotus leav es seated on that lotus,
both Madhu and Kaitabha wandered much and they began to terrify
and alarm Brahma of immeasurable prowess, and the illustrious Brahma
alarmed by their continued exertions trembled on his seat, and at his
trembling the stalk of the lotus on which he was seated began to tremble
and when the lotus-stalk trembled, Kesava awoke. And awakened from
his slumber, Govinda beheld those Danavas of mighty energy, and be-
holding them the Deity said unto them, 'Welcome, ye mighty ones ! I
am gratified with you ! Therefore, I will grant you excellent boons !'
And thereupon both those proud and mighty Danavas^ O king, laugh-
ingly replied unto Hrishikesa, saying, 'Ask boons of us, O Divine one !
O thou that art the Supreme Deity, we are disposed to grant thee a
boon. Indeed, we will grant thee a boon ! Therefore, ask thou of us
anything that cometh to thy mind.' Thus addressed by them the holy
one spoke, 4Ye brave ones, I will accept a boon from you. There is a
boon that I desire. Both of you are possessed of mighty energy. There is
no male person like unto any of you. O ye of unbaffled prowess, submit
ye to be slain by me. Even that is what I desire to accomplish for the
good of the world.' Hearing these words of the Deity, both Madhu and
Kaitabha said, 'We have never before spoken an untruth ; no, not even
in jest ; what shall we say of other occasions ? O thou foremost of male
Beings, know that we have ever been firm in truth and morality. In
strength, in form, in beauty, in virtue, in asceticism, in charity, in
behaviour, in goodness, in self control, there is no one equal unto either
of us. A great danger, O Kesava, hath approached us. Accomplish
thou, therefore, what thou hast said. No one can prevail over Time.
But, O Lord, there is one thing that we desire to be done by thee. O
thou best and foremost of all Deities, thou must slay us at a spot that is
absolutely uncovered. And, O thou of excellent eyes, we also desire to
become thy sons. This is the boon that we desire, know then, O chief
of the gods ! Let not that O Deity, be false which thou hadst at first
promised to us.' The Holy One then replied unto them saying, 'Yes, I
will do as ye desire. Everything will be as ye wish !'
"Markandeya continued, 'Then Govinda began to reflect but un-
VANA PABVA 445
covered space found he none and when he could not discover any spot
that was uncovered on earth or in the sky, that foremost Deity then
beheld his thighs to be absolutely uncovered. And there, O king, the
illustrious Deity cut off the heads of Madhu and Kaitabha with his keen-
edged discus f "
SECTION CCIII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'The illustrious Dhundhu, O king, was the son
of Madhu and Kaitabha, and possessed of great energy and prowess, he
underwent ascetic penances of great austerity and he stood erect on
one leg and reduced his body to a mass of only veins and arteries,
and Brahma, gratified with him, gave him a boon. And the boon he had
asked of the lord Prajapati was in these words, 'Let no one among the
gods, the Danavas, the Bakshas, the Snakes, the Gandharvas and the EaUsha-
sas be capable of slaying me. Even this is the boon that I ask of thee.'
And the Grandsire replied unto him saying, 'Let it be as thou wishest.
Go thy way.' And thus addressed by the Grandsire, the Danava placed
the feet of the Deity on his head and having thus touched with reverence
the Deity's feet he went away and possessed of mighty energy and
prowess, Dhundhu, hav ing*]obtained the boon hastily approached Vishnu
remembering the death of his father at the hands of that Deity, and the
wrathful Dhundhu having vanquished the gods with the Gandharvas
began to distress all the celestials with Vishnu at their head. And at last
O bull of the Bharata race, that wicked-souled Asura arriving at a sea
of sands known by the name of Ujjalaka, began to distress to the utmost
of his might the asylum of Utanka. And endued with fierce energy,
Dhundhu, the son of Madhu and Kaitabha, lay in his subterranean cave
underneath the sands in the observance of fierce ascetic and severe
austerities with the object of destroying the triple world, and while the
Asura lay breathing near the asylum of Utanka that Bishi possessed of
the splendour of fire, king Kuvalaswa with his troops, accompanied by the
Brahmana Utanka, as also by all his sons set out for that region, O bull
of the Bharata race ! And after that grinder of foes, the royal Kuva-
laswa, had set out, accompanied by his twenty-one thousand sons all of
whom were exceedingly powerful, the illustrious Lord Vishnu filled
him with his own energy at the command of Utanka and impelled by the
desire of benefiting the triple world and while that invincible hero was
proceeding on his way and loud voice was heard in the sky repeating
the words, 'This fortunate and unslayable one will become the destroyer
of Dhundhu to-day.' And the gods began to shower upon him celestial
flowers. And the celestial kettle drums began to sound their music
446 MAHABHAKATA
although none played upon them. And during the march of that wise
one, cool breezes began to blow and the chief of the celestials poured
gentle showers wetting the dust on the roads and, O Yudhishthira, the
cars of the celestials could be seen high over the spot where the mighty
Asura Dhundhu was. The gods and Gandharvas and great Rishis urged
by curiosity, came there to behold the encounter between Dhundhu and
Kuvalaswa and, O thou of the Kuru race, filled by Narayana with his
own energy, king Kuvalaswa, aided by his sons, soon surrounded that
sea of sands and the king ordered that wilderness to be excavated and
after the king's sons had excavated that sea of sands for seven days,
they could see the mighty Asura Dhundhu. And, O bull of the
Bharata race, the huge body of that Asura lay within those sands,
effulgent in its own energy like the Sun himself. And Dhundhu, O king,
was lying covering the western region of the desert and surrounded on
all sides by the sons of Kuvalaswa, the Danava was assaulted with sharp-
pointed shafts and maces and heavy and short clubs and axes and clubs,
with iron spikes and darts and bright and keen- edged swords, and thus
assaulted, the mighty Danava rose from his recumbent posture in wrath.
And enraged, the Asvra began to swallow those various weapons that
were hurled at him and he vomited from his mouth fiery flames like
unto those of the fire called Samvarta that appeareth at the end of the
Yuga and by those flames of his, the Asura consumed all the sons of the
king and, O tiger among men, like the Lord Kapila of old consuming
the sons of king Sagara, the infuriated At>ura overwhelming the triple
world with the flames vomited from his mouth, achieved that wonder-
ful! feat in a moment. And, O thou best of the Bharatas, when all those
sons of king Kuvalaswa were consumed by the fire emitted by the Asura
in warth, the monarch, possessed as he was of mighty energy, then ap-
proached the Danava who, like unto a second Kumbhakarna of mighty
energy, had come to the encounter after waking from his slumbers.
From the body of the king, O monarch, then began to flow a mighty
and copious stream of water and that stream soon extinguished, O king,
the fiery flames emitted by the Asura. And, O great king, the royal
Kuvalaswa, filled with Yoga force, having extinguished those flames by
the water that issued from his body, consumed that Daitya of wicked
prowess with the celebrated weapon called Brahma for relieving the
triple world of its fears, and the royal sage Kuvalaswa, having consumed
that great Asura, that foe of the celestials and slayer of all enemies, by
means of that weapon became like unto a second chief of the triple world
and the high-souled king Kuvalaswa having slain the Asura Dhundhu,
became from that time known by the name of Dhundhumara and from
that time he came to be regarded as invincible in battle, and the gods
and the great Bishis who had come to witness that encounter were
VANA PABVA 447
so far gratified with him that they addressed him saying, 4Ask thou a
boon of us f And thus solicited by the gods, the king bowed to them
and filled with joy, the king said unto them, with joined hands these
words, 'Let me be always able to give wealth unto superior Brhama-
nas ! Let me be invincible as regards all foes ! Let there be friendship
between myself and Vishnu ! Let me have no ill-feeling towards any
creature ! Let my heart always turn to virtue ! And let me (finally)
dwell in heaven for ever !' And the gods and the Rishis and Utanka,
hearing this, were exceedingly gratified and all of them said, 'Let it be
as thou wishest !' And, O king, hav ing also blessed him with many
other speeches, the gods and the great Bishis then went away to their
respective abodes. And, O Yudhisthira, after the slaughter of all his sons,
king Kuvalaswa had- still three sons left, and, O thou of the Bharata race,
they were called Dridas^a and Kapilaswa and Chandraswa. It is
from them, O king, that the illustrious line of kings belonging tolkshva-
ku's race, all possessed of immeasurable prowess, hath sprung.
"It was thus, O best of king, that that great Daitya of the name
Dhundhu, the son of Madhu and Kaitabha, was slain by Kuvalaswa and
it was for this also that king came to be called by the name of Dhundhu-
mam. And indeed, the name he assumed was no empty one but was
literally true.
"I have now told thee all that thou hadst asked me, viz., all about
that person in consequence of whose act the story of Dhundhu's death
hath become famous. He that listeneth to this holy history connected
with the glory of Vishnu, becometh virtuous and obtaineth children. By
listening to this story on particular lunations, one becometh blessed with
long life and great good fortune. And freed from every anxiety one
ceaseth to have any fear of diseases.' '
SECTION CCIV
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "O thou foremost of the Bharata race, king
Yudhishthira then asked the illustrious Markandeya a difficult question
about morality, saying, 1 desire to hear, O holy one, about the high and
excellent v irtue of women. I desire to hear from thee, O Brahmana, dis-
course about the subtle truths of morality. O regenerate Bishi, O best
of men, the Sun, the Moon, the Wind, the Earth, the Fire, the father,
the mother, the preceptor — chese and other objects ordained by the
gods, appear to us as Deities embodied ! All these that are reverend
ones are worthy of our best regard. So also is the woman who adoreth
one lord. The worship that chaste wives offer unto their husbands
appeareth to me to be fraught with great difficulty. O adorable
448 MAHABHAEATA
one, it behoveth thee to discourse to us of the high and excellent
virtue of chaste wives — of wives who restraining all their senses
and keeping their hearts under complete control regard their
husbands as veritable gods. O holy and adorable one, all this appears
to me to be exceedingly difficult of accomplishment. O regenerate
one, the worship that sons offer to their mothers and fathers and that
wives offer to their husbands, both seem to me to be highly difficult.
I do not behold anything that is more difficult than the severe virtue of
chaste women. O Brahmana, the duties that women of good behaviour
discharge with care and the conduct that is pursued by good sons towards
their fathers and mothers appear to me to be most difficult of per-
formance. Those women that are each devoted to but one lord,
they that always speak the truth, they that undergo a period of gesta-
tion for full ten months — there is nothing, O Brahmana, that is more
difficult than that is done by these. O worshipful one, women bring
forth their offspring with great hazard to themsel v es and great pain and
rear their children, O bull among Brahmanas, with great affection !
Those persons also who being always engaged in acts of cruelty and there-
by incurring general hatred, succeed yet in doing their duties accomplish
what, in my opinion, is exceedingly difficult. O regenerate one, tell me
the truths of the duties of the Kshatriya order. It is difficult, O twice-
born one, for those high-souled ones to acquire virtue who by the duties
of their order are obliged to do what is cruel. O holy one, thou art
capable of answering all questions ; I desire to hear thee discourse on all
this. O thou foremost of Bhrigu's race, I desire to listen to all this,
waiting respectfully on thee, O thou of excellent vows !'
"Markandeya said, 'O thou foremost of the Bharata race, I will
discourse to thee on all this truly, however difficult of answer thy ques-
tion may be. Listen to me, therefore, as I speak unto thee. Some regard
the mother as superior and some the father. The mother, however, that
bringeth forth and reareth up offspring what is more difficult. Fathers
also, by ascetic penances by worship of the gods, by adorations address-
ed to them, by bearing cold and heat, by incantations and other means
desire to have children. And having by these painful expedients obtain-
ed children that are so difficult of acquisition, they then, O hero, are
always anxious about the future of their sons and, O Bharata, both the
father and the mother desire to see in their sons fame and achievements
and prosperity and offspring and virtue That son is v irtuous who
realises these hopes of his parents. And, O great king, that son with
whom the father and the mother are gratified, achieveth eternal fame
and eternal virtue both here and thereafter. As regards women again,
neither sacrifice nor sraddhas, nor fasts are of any efficacy. By serving
their husbands only they can win heaven. O king, O Yudhishthira,
remembering this alone, listen thou with attention to the duties of chaste
women.' '
SECTION CCV
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, There was, O Bharata, a virtuous ascetic of the
name of Kausika and endued with wealth of asceticism and devoted to
the study of the Vedas, he was a very superior Brahmana and that best
of Brahmanas studied all the Vedas with the Angas and the Upanishadas
and one day he was reciting the Vedas at the foot of a tree and at that
time there sat on the top of that tree a female crane and that she-crane
happened at that time to befoul the Brahmana's body and beholding
that crane the Brahmana became v ery angry and thought of doing her
an injury and as the Brahmana cast his angry glances upon the crane
and thought also of doing her an injury, she fell down on the ground and
beholding the crane thus fallen from the tree and insensible in death,
the Brahmana was much moved by pity and the regenerate one began
to lament for the dead crane saying, 'Alas, I have done a bad deed,
urged by anger and malice !'
"Markandeya continued, 'Having repeated these words many
times, that learned Brahmana entered a village for procuring alms. And,
O bull of the Bharata race, in course of his eleemosynary round among
the houses of persons of good lineage, the Brahmana entered one such
house that we knew from before. And as he entered the house, he said,
'Give' And he was answered by a female with the word, 'Stay. And
while the housewife was engaged, O king, in cleaning the vessel from
which alms are given, her husband, O thou best of the Bharatas,
suddenly entered the house, very much afflicted with hunger. The
chaste housewife beheld her husband and disregarding the Brahmana,
gave her lord water to wash his feet and face and also a seat and after
that the black-eyed lady, placing before her lord savoury food and drink,
humbly stood beside him desirous of attending to all his wants. And, O
Yudhishthira, that obedient wife used every day to eat the orts of
her husband's plate and, always conducting herself in obedience to the
wishes of the lord, that lady ever regarded her husband, and
all her heart's affections inclined towards her lord. Of various and
holy behaviour and skilful in all domestic duties and attentive to all
her relatives, she always did what was agreeable and beneficial to her
husband and she also, with rapt senses attended to the worship of the
gods and the wants of guests and servants and her mother-in-law and
father-in-law.
"And while the lady of handsome eyes was still engaged in waiting
upon her lord, she beheld that Brahmana waiting for alms and beholding
him, she remembered that she had asked him to wait. And remembering
all this, she felt abashed. And then that chaste woman possessed of great
26
450 MAHABHAEATA
fame, took something for alms and went out, O thou foremost of the
Bharatas, for giving it unto that Brahmana. And when she came before
him, the Brahmana said, 'O best of women, O blessed one, I am surprised
at thy conduct ! Having requested me to wait, saying, 'Stay thou didst
not dismiss me f
"Markandeya continued, 'O lord of men, beholding that Brahmana
filled with wrath and blazing with his energy, that chaste woman began
to conciliate him and said, 'O learned one, it behoveth thee to forgive
me. My husband is my supreme god. He came hungry and tired
and was being served and waited upon by me.1 Hearing this, the
Brahmana said, 'With thee Brahmanas are not worthy of superior
regard. Exaltest thou thy husband above them ? Leading a domestic
life, dost thou disregard Brahmanas ? Indra himself boweth down unto
them, what shall I say of men on earth. Proud woman, dost thou not
know it, hast thou never heard it, that the Brahmanas are like fire and
may consume the entire earth ?' At these words of that Brahmana
the woman answered, 1 am no she-crane, O regenerate Rishi I O thou
that art endued with the wealth of asceticism, cast off this anger of
thine. Engaged as thou are, what canst thou do to me with these angry
glances of thine ? I do not disregard Brahmanas. Endued with great
energy of soul, they are like unto the gods themselves. But, O sinless one,
this fault of mine it behoveth thee to forgive. I know the energy and
high dignity of Brahmanas that are possessed of wisdom. The waters of
the ocean hav e been made brackish and undrinkable by the wrath of
the Brahmanas. I know also the energy of Munis of souls under complete
control and endued with blazing ascetic merit. The fire of their wrath
to this day hath not been extinguished in the forest of Dandaka. It
was for his having disregarded the Brahmanas that the great Asura — the
wicked and evil-minded Vatapi was digested when he came in contact
with Agastya. It hath been heard by us that the powers and merits of
high-souled Brahmanas are great. But, O Brahmana, as regenerate ones
of high souls are great in wrath, so are they equally great in forgiveness.
Therefore, O sinless one, it behoveth thee to forgive me in the matter
of this my offence. O Brahmana, my heart inclineth to that merit
which springeth from the service of my husband, for I regard my
husband as the highest among all the gods. O best of Brahmanas, I
practise that virtue which consists in serving my husband whom I
regard as the highest Deity. Behold, O regenerate one, the merit that
attaches to the service of one's husband ! I know that thou hast burnt
a she-crane with thy wrath ! But, O best of regenerate ones, the anger
that a person cherishes is the greatest of foes which that person hath.
The gods know him for a Brahmana who hath cast off anger and passion.
The gods know him for a Brahmana who always speaketh the truth
VAN A PARVA 451
here, who always gratifieth his preceptor, and who, though injured
himself, never returneth the injury. The gods know him for a Brahmana
who hath his senses under control, who is virtuous and pure and
devoted to the study of the Vedas, and who hath mastery over anger and
lust. The gods know him for a Brahmana who, cognisant of morals and
endued with mental energy, is catholic in religion and looketh upon all
equal unto himself. The gods know him for a Brahmana who studieth
himself and teacheth others, who performeth sacrifices himself and offi-
ciateth at the sacrifices of others, and who giveth away to the best of his
means. The gods know that bull among the regenerate ones for a Brah-
mana who, endued with liberality of soul, practiseth the Brahmacharya
vow and is devoted to study, — in fact who is vigilantly devoted to the
study of the Vedas. Whatever conduceth to the happiness of the Brah-
manas is always recited before these. Ev er taking pleasure in truth, the
hearts of such men never find joy in untruth. O thou best of regenerate
ones, it hath been said that the study of the Vedas, tranquillity of soul,
simplicity of behaviour, and repression of the senses, constitute the
eternal duties of the Brahmana. Those cognisant with v irtue and morals
have said that truth and honesty are the highest virtue. Virtue that is
eternal is difficult of being understood. But whatever it is, it is based
on truth. The ancients have declared that virtue dependeth on sruti.
But, O foremost of regenerate ones, v irtue as exposed in sruti appears to
be of various kinds. It is, therefore, too subtle of comprehension. Thou,
O holy one, art cognisant of virtue, pure, and devoted to the study of
the Vedas. I think, however, O holy one, that thou dost not know
what virtue in reality is. Repairing to the city of Mithila, enquire
thou of a virtuous fowler there, if indeed, O regenerate one, thou art
not really acquainted with what constitutes the highest virtue. There
liveth in Mithila a fowler who is truthful and devoted to the service of
his parents and who hath senses under complete control. Even he will
discourse to thee on virtue. Blessed be thou, O best of regenerate ones,
if thou likest, repair thither. O faultless one, it behoveth thee to for-
give me, if what I have said be unpalatable, for they that are desirous
of acquiring virtue are incapable of injuring women !'
"At these words of the chaste woman, the Brahmana replied,
saying, 1 am gratified with thee. Blessed be thou ; my anger hath
subsided, O beautiful one ! The reproofs uttered by thee will be of the
highest advantage to me. Blessed be thou, I shall now go and accom-
plish what is so conducive, O handsome one, to my benefit !'
"Markandeya continued, 'Dismissed by her, Kausika, that best of
regenerate ones, left her house, and, reproaching himself, returned to his
own abode.' "
SECTION CCVI
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'Continually reflecting upon that wonderful
discourse of the woman, Kausika began to reproach himself and looked
very much like a guilty person and meditating on the subtle ways of
morality and virtue, he said to himself, 1 should accept with reverence
what the lady hath said and should, therefore, repair to Mithila. With-
out doubt there dwelleth in that city a fowler of soul under complete
control and fully acquainted with the mysteries of virtue and morality.
This very day will I repair unto that one endued with wealth of asceti-
cism for enquiring of him about virtue.1 His faith in her was assured by
her knowledge of the death of the she -crane and the excellent words of
virtuous import she had uttered. Kausika thus reflecting with reverence
upon all she had said, set out for Mithila, filled with curiosity. And he
traversed many forests and villages and towns and at last reached
Mithila that was ruled over by Janaka and he beheld the city to be
adorned with the flags of various creeds. And he beheld that beautiful
town to be resounding with the noise of sacrifices and festivities and
furnished with splendid gateways. It abounded with palatial residences
and protected by walls on all sides ; it had many splendid building to
boast of. And that delightful town was also filled with innumerable
cars. And its streets and roads were many and well-laid and many of
them were lined with shops. And it was full of horses and cars and
elephants and warriors. And the citizens were all in health and joy and
they were always engaged in festiv ities. And having entered that city,
that Brahmana beheld there many other things. And there the Brahmana
enquired about the virtuous fowler and was answered by some
twice-born persons. And repairing to the place indicated by those
regenerate ones, the Brahmana beheld the fowler seated in a butcher's
yard and the ascetic fowler was then selling v enison and buffalo meat
and in consequence of the large concourse of buyers gathered round
that fowler, Kausika stood at a distance. But the fowler, apprehending
that the Brahmana had come to him, suddenly rose from his seat and
went to that secluded spot where the Brahmana was staying and having
approached him there, the fowler said, 1 salute thee, O holy one !
Welcome art thou, O thou best of Brahmanas ! I am the fowler.
Blessed be thou ! Command me as to what I may do for thee. The
word that the chaste woman said unto thee, viz., Eepair thou to Mithila,
are known to me. I also know for what purpose thou hast come hither'.
Hearing these words of the fowler that Brahmana was filled with
surprise. And he began to reflect inwardly, saying, 'This indeed, is
the second marvel that I see !' The fowler then said unto the Brahmana,
VANA PABVA 453
saying, Thou art now standing in place that is scarcely proper for
thee, O sinless one. If it pleasest thee, let us go to my abode, O holy
one f
"Markandeya continued, 'So be it' said the Brahmana unto him,
gladly. And thereupon, the fowler proceeded towards his home with the
Brahmana walking before him-' And entering his abode that looked
delightful, the fowler reverenced his guest by offering him a seat. And
he also gave him water to wash his feet and face. And accepting these,
that best of Brahmanas sat at his ease. And he then addressed the
fowler, saying, It seems to me that this profession doth not befit thee.
0 fowler, I deeply regret that thou shouldst follow such a cruel trade.'
At these words of the Brahmana the fowler said, This profession is
that of my family, myself having inherited it from my sires and grand-
sires. O regenerate one, grieve not for me owing to my adhering to
the duties that belong to me by birth. Discharging the duties ordained
for me beforehand by the Creator, I carefully serve my superiors and
the old. O thou best of Brahmanas ! I always speak the truth, never
envy others ; and give to the best of my power. I live upon what
remaineth after ser v ing the gods, guests, and those that depend on me
1 never speak ill of anything, small or great. O thou best of Brahmanas,
the actions of a former life always follow the doer. In this world there
are three principal professions, viz., agriculture, rearing of cattle, and
trade. As regards the other world, the three Vedas, knowledge, and
the science of morals are efficacious. Service (of the other three orders)
hath been ordained to be the duty of the Sudra Agriculture hath been
ordained for the Vaisyas, and fighting for the Kshatriyas, while the
practice of the Brahmacharya vow, asceticism, recitation of mantras, and
truthfulness have been ordained for the Brahmanas. Over subjects ad-
hering to their proper duties, the king should rule virtuously ; while he
should set those thereto that have fallen away from the duties of their
order. Kings should ever be feared, because they are the lords of their
subjects. They restrain those subj ects of theirs that fall away from their
duties as they restrain the motions of the deer by means of their shafts.
O regenerate Rishi, there existeth not in the kingdom of Janaka a single
subject that followeth not the duties of his birth. O thou best of the
Brahmanas, all the four orders here rigidly adhere to their respective
duties. King Janaka punisheth him that is wicked, even if he be his
own son ; but never doth he inflict pain on him that is virtuous. With
good and able spies employed under him, he looketh upon all with
impartial eyes. Prosperity, and kingdom, and capacity to punish, belong,
O thou best of Brahmanas, to the Kshatriyas. Kings desire high pros-
perity through practice of the duties that belong to them. The king is
the protector of all the four orders. As regards myself, O Brahmana, I
454 MAHABHAEATA
always sell pork and buffalo meat without slaying those animals myself,
I sell meat of animals, O regenerate EisU, that have been slain by
others. I never eat meat myself ; never go to my wife except in her
season ; I always fast during the day, and eat, O regenerate one, in the
night. Even though the behaviour of his order is bad, aiperson may
yet be himself of good behaviour. So also a person may become virtu-
ous, although he may be slayer of animals by profession. It is in conse-
quence of the sinful acts of kings that virtue decreaseth greatly, and
sin beginneth to prosper. And when all this taketh place the subjects
of the kingdom begin to decay. And it is then, O Brahmana, that ill-
looking monsters, and dwarfs, and hunch- backed and large-headed
wights, and men that are blind or deaf or those that have paralysed eyes
or are destitute of the power of procreation, begin to take their birth.
It is from the sinfulness of kings that their subjects suffer numerous mis-
chiefs. But this our king Janaka casteth his eyes upon all his subjects
virtuously, and he is always kind unto them who, on their part, ever
adhere to their respective duties. Regarding myself, I always with good
deeds please those that speak well, as also those that speak ill of me.
Those kings that live in the observance of their own proper duties, who
are always engaged in the practice of acts that are good and honest,
who are of souls under complete control and who are endued with
readiness and alacrity, may not depend upon anything else for support-
ing their power. Gift of food to the best of one's power, endurance of
heat and cold, firmness in virtue, and a regard and tenderness for all
creatures, — these attributes can never find place in a person, without an
innate desire being present in him of separating himself from the
world. One should avoid falsehood in speech, and should do good with-
out solicitation. One should never cast off virtue from lust, from
wrath, or from malice. One should never joy immoderately at a good
turn or grieve immoderately at a bad one. One should never feel
depressed when overtaken by poverty, nor when so overtaken aban-
don the path of v irtue. If at any time one doth what is wrong, he should
never do its like again. One should always urge his soul to the doing of
that which he regardeth as beneficial. One should never return wrong
for wrong, but should act honestly by those that hav e wronged him.
That wretched man who desireth to do what is sinful, slayeth himself.
By doing what is sinful, one only imitates them that are wicked and
sinful. Disbelieving in virtue they that mock the good and the pure
saying, 'There is no virtue undoubtedly meet with destruction. A sinful
man swelleth up like a leather bag puffed up with wind. The thoughts
of these wretches filled with pride and folly are feeble and unprofitable.
It is the heart, the inner soul, that discover eth the fool like the sun
that discovereth forms during the day. The fool cannot always shine
VANA PAEVA 455
in the world by means of self-praise. The learned man, however, even
if he be destitute of beauty, displayeth his lustre by refraining from
speaking ill of others and well of himself. No example, however, can
be met with, in this world, of a person shining brilliantly on account
of attributes to be found in him in their reputed measure. If one repent-
eth of a wrong done by him, that repentance washeth off his sin. The
resolution of never doing it again saveth him from future sin, even as,
O thou best of Brahmanas, he may save himself from sin by any of those
expiations obtained in the scriptures. Even this, O regenerate one,
is the sruti that may be seen in respect of virtue. He that having
before been virtuous, committeth a sin, or committeth it unknowingly
may destroy that sin. For virtue, O Brahmana, driveth off the sin that
men commit from ignorance. A man, after having committed a sin,
should cease to regard himself any longer as a man. No man can conceal
his sins. The gods behold what one does, also the Being that is within
every one. He that with piety and without detraction hideth the faults
of the honest and the wise like holes in his own attire, surely seeketh
his salvation. If a man seeketh redemption after having committed a
sin, without doubt he is purged of all his sins and looketh pure and
resplendent like the moon emerged from the clouds. A man that seek-
eth redemption is washed of all his sins, even as the sun, upon rising,
dispelleth all darkness. O best of Brahmanas, it is temptation that
constitutes the basis of sin. Men that are ignorant, commit sin, yielding
to temptation alone. Sinful men generally cover themselves with a
virtuous exterior, like wells whose mouths are covered by long grass.
Outwardly they seem to possess self-control and holiness and indulge in
preaching virtuous texts which, in their mouth are of little meaning.
Indeed, everything may be noticed in them except conduct that is truly
virtuous f
"Markandeya continued, 'At these words, O best of men, of the
fowler, that Brahmana endued with great wisdom, then asked the
fowler, saying, 'How shall I know what is virtuous conduct ? Blessed
be thou, I desire to hear this, O thou foremost of virtuous men, from
thee. Therefore, O, thou of exalted soul, tell me all about it truly.'
Hearing these words, the fowler replied, saying, 'O best of Brahmanas,
Sacrifices, Gift, Asceticism, the Vedas, and Truth— these five holy
things are ever present in conduct that is called virtuous. Having sub-
jugated lust and wrath, pride, avarice, and crookedness, they that take
pleasure in virtue because it is virtue, are regarded as really virtuous
and worthy of the approbation of persons that are virtuous. These
persons who are devoted to sacrifices and study of the Vedas have no
independent behaviour. They follow only the practices of the honest
and the good. This indeed, is the second attribute of the virtuous.
456 MAHABHABATA
Waiting upon superiors, Truth, Freedom from anger, and Gift, these
four, O Brahmana, are inseparably connected with behaviour that is
virtuous. For the reputation that a person acquires by setting his
heart on virtuous behaviour and adhering to it rigidly is incapable of
acquisition except by practising the four virtues named above. The
essence of the Vedas is Truth : the essence of Truth is self-control, and
the essence of self-control is abstention from the pleasures of the world.
These all are to be noticed in behaviour that is virtuous. They that
follow those deluded fools that mock the forms of faith prevailing among
men, are dragged into destruction for walking in such a sinful path.
They, however, that are virtuous and engaged in the observance of
vows, who are devoted to the srutis and the virtue of abstention from
the pleasure of the world, they in fact who tread in virtue's path and
follow the true religion, they that are obedient to the mandates of
their preceptors, and who reflect upon the sense of the scriptures with
patience and carefulness,— it is these that are said to be possessed of
behav iour that is v irtuous ; it is these , O Brahmana, that are said to
properly guide their higher intelligence. Forsaking those that are
atheists, those that transgress virtue's limits, those that are of wicked
souls, those that live in sinfulness, betake thyself to knowledge reverenc-
ing those that are virtuous. Lust and temptation are even like sharks
in the river of life ; the waters are the five senses. Do thou cross over
to the other side of this river in the boat of patience and resignation,
avoiding the shoals of corporeal existence (repeated births in this world).
The supreme v irtue consisting in the exercise oi the intelligent principle
and abstraction, when gradually super-added to virtuous conduct,
becomes beautiful like dye on white fabrics. Truthfulness and absten-
tion from doing injury to any one, are virtues highly beneficial to all
creatures. Of these, that latter is a cardinal virtue, and isr based on truth.
Our mental faculties have their proper play when their foundation is
laid in truth, and in the exercise of virtue truth is of the highest value.
Purity of conduct is the characteristic of all good men. Those that are
distinguished for holy living are good and virtuous. All creatures
follow the principles of conduct which are innate in their nature. The
sinful being who has no control over self acquire lust anger and other
vices. It is the immemorial rule that virtuous actions are those that
are founded on justice, and it is also ordained by holy men that all
iniquitous conudct is sin. Those who are not swayed by anger, pride,
haughtiness and envy, and those who are quiet and straight-forward,
are men of v irtuous conduct. Those who are diligent in performing the
rites enjoined in the three Vedas, who are wise, and of pure and virtuous
conduct, who exercise self-restraint and are full of attention to their
superior, are men of virtuous conduct. The actions and conduct of
VANA PARVA 457
such men of great power, are very difficult of attainment. They are
sanctified by the purification of their own actions, and consequently sin
in them dies out of itself. This virtue of good conduct is wonderful,
ancient, immutable and eternal ; and wise men observing this virtue
with holiness, attain to heaven. These men who believe in the existence
of the Deity, who are free from false pride, and versed in holy writ, and
who respect regenerate (twice-born) men, go to heaven. Among holy
men, virtue is differentiated in three ways — that great virtue which is
inculcated in the Vedas, the other which is inculcated in the dharmashas-
tras (the minor scriptures), and virtuous conduct. And virtuous conduct
is indicated by acquisition of knowledge, pilgrimage to sacred places,
truthfulness, forbearance, purity and straight-forwardness. Virtuous
men are always kind to all creatures, and well-disposed towards regene-
rate men. They abstain from doing injury to any creature, and are never
rude in speech. Those good men who know well the consequences of
the fruition of their good and evil deeds, are commended by virtuous
men. Those who are just and good natured, and endowed with virtue,
who wish well of all creatures, who are steadfast in the path of virtue,
and have conquered heaven, who are charitable, unselfish and of un-
blemished character, who succuor the afflicted, and are learned and
respected by all, who practise austerities, and are kind to all creatures,
are commended as such by the v irtuous. Those who are charitably
disposed attain prosperity in this world, as also the regions of bliss
(hereafter). The virtuous man when solicited for assistance by good
men bestow alms on them by straining to the utmost, even to the
deprivation of the comforts of his wife and servants. Good men
having an eye to their own welfare, as also virtue and the ways of the
world, act in this way and thereby grow in virtue through endless ages.
Good persons possessing the virtues of truthfulness, abstention from
doing injury to anyone, rectitude, abstention from evil towards any
one, want of haughtiness, modesty, resignation, self-restraint, absence
of passion, wisdom, patience, and kindness towards all creatures, and
freedom from malice and lust, are the witnesses of the world. These
three are said to constitute the perfect way of the virtuous, viz., a man
must not do wrong to any body, he must bestow alms, and must always
be truthful. Those high-souled good men of v irtuous conduct, and settled
convictions, who are kind to all and are full of compassion, depart with
contentment from this world to the perfect way of virtue. Freedom
from malice, forbearance, peace of mind, contentment, pleasant speech,
renunciation of desire and anger, v irtuous conduct and actions regulated
according to the ordinances of holy writ, constitute the perfect way of
the virtuous. And those who are constant in virtue follow these rules
of virtuous conduct, and having reached the pinnacle of knowledge, and
27
458 MAHABHABATA
discriminating between the various phases of human conduct, which are
either very virtuous or the reverse, they escape from the great danger.
Thus, O great Brahmana, having introduced the subject of virtuous
conduct, have I described to thee all this, according to my own know-
ledge and to what I have heard on the subject."
SECTION CCVII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'The pious fowler, O Yudhishthira, then
said to that Brahmana, 'Undoubtedly my deeds are very cruel, but, O
Brahmana, Destiny is all-powerful and it is difficult to evade the conse-
quence of our past actions. And this is the karmic evil arising out of sin
committed in a former life. But, O Brahmana, I am always assiduous
in eradicating the evil. The Deity takes away life, the executioner
acts only as a secondary agent. And we, O good Brahmana, are only
such agents in regard to our karma. Those animals that are slain by me
and whose meat I sell, also acquire karma ; because ( with their meat ),
gods and guests and servants are regaled with dainty food and the manes
are propitiated. It is said authoritatively that herbs and vegetables,
deer, birds and wild animals constitute the food of all creatures.
And, O Brahmana, king Sivi, the son of Usinara, of great forbear-
ance attained to heaven, which is hard to reach, giving away his
own flesh. And in days of yore, O Brahmana, two thousand animals
used to be killed everyday in the kitchen of kingRantideva ; and in the
same manner two thousand cows were killed ev ery day ; and, O best of
regenerate beings, king Rantideva acquired unrivalled reputation by
distributing food with meat every day. For the perfomance of the four-
monthly rites animals ought to be sacrificed daily. 'The sacred fire is
fond of animal food,' this saying has come down to us. And at sacrifices
animals are invariably killed by regenerate Brahmanas, and these
animals being purged of sin, by incantation of hymns, go to heaven.
If, O Brahmana, the sacred fire had not been so fond of animal food
in ancient times, it could never have become the food of any one. And
in this matter of animal food, this rule has been laid down by Munis : —
Whoever partakes of animal food after having first offered it duly and
respectfully to the gods and the manes, is not polluted by the act.
And such a man is not at all considered to have partaken of animal
food, even, as a Brahmacharin hav ing intercoursed with his wife during
the menstrual period, is nevertheless considered to be a good Brahmana.
After consideration of the propriety and impropriety of the matter,
this rule has been laid down. King Saudasa, O Brahmana, when under a
curse, often used to prey upon men ; what is thy opinion of this matter ?
VANA PABVA 459
And, O good Brahmana, knowing this to be the consequence of my own
actions, I obtain my livelihood from this profession. The forsaking of
one's own occupation is considered, O Brahmana, to be a sin, and the
act of sticking to one's own profession is without doubt a meritorious
act. The Karma of a former existence never forsakes any creature.
And in determining the various consequences of one's Karma, this rule
was not lost sight of by the Creator. A person having his being under
the influence of evil Karma, must always consider how he can atone for
his Karma, and extricate himself from an evil doom, and the evil Karma
may be expiated in various ways. Accordingly, O good Brahmana, I
am charitable, truthful, assiduous in attending on my superior, full of
respect towards regenerate Brahmanas, devoted to and free from pride
and (idle) excessive talk. Agriculture is considered to be a praise-
worthy occupation, but it is well-known that even there, great harm is
done to animal life ; and in the operation of digging the earth with the
plough, numberless creatures lurking in the ground as also various
other forms of animal life are destroyed. Dost thou not think so ? O
good Brahmana, Vrihi and other seeds of rice are all living organisms.
What is thy opinion on this matter ? Men, O Brahmana, hunt wild
animals and kill them and partake of their meat ; they also cut up trees
and herbs; but, O Brahmana, there are numberless living organisms
in trees, in fruits, as also in water ; dost thou not think so ? This whole
creation, O Brahmana, is full of animal life, sustaining itself with food
derived from living organisms. Dost thou not mark that fish preys
upon fish, and that various species of animals prey upon other species,
and there are species the members of which prey upon each other ?
Men, O Brahmana, while walking about hither and thither, kill number-
less creatures lurking in the ground by trampling on them, and even
men of wisdom and enlightenment destroy animal life in various ways,
even while sleeping or reposing themselves. What hast thou to say to
this? — The earth and the air all swarm with living organisms, which
are unconsciously destroyed by men from mere ignorance. Is not this so ?
The commandment that people should not do harm to any creature, was
ordained of old by men, who were ignorant of the true facts of the case.
For, O Brahmana, there is not a man on the face of this earth, who is
free from the sin of doing injury to creatures. After full consideration,
the conclusion is irresistible that there is not a single man who is free
from the sin of doing injury to animal life. Even the sage, O good
Brahmana, whose vow is to do harm to no creature, doth inflict injury
to animal life. Only, on account of greater heedfulness, the harm is less.
Men of noble birth and great qualities perpetrate wicked acts in defiance
of all, of which they are not at all ashamed. Good men acting in an
exemplary way are not commended by other good men ; nor are bad
460 MAHABHABATA
men acting in a contrary way praised by their wicked compeers ; and
friends are not agreeable to friends, albeit endowed with high qualities ;
and foolish pedantic men cry down the virtues of their preceptors.
This reversal of the natural order of things, O good Brahmana, is seen
everywhere in this world. What is thy opinion as to the virtuousness
or otherwise of this state of things ? There is much that can be said of
the goodness or badness of our actions. But whoev er is addicted to his
own proper occupation surely acquires great reputation.
SECTION CCVIII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Markandeya continued, "O Yudhishthira, the virtuous fowler,
eminent in pity, then skilfully addressed himself again to that foremost
of Brahmanas, saying, 'It is the dictum of the aged that the ways of
righteousness are subtle, diverse and infinite. When life is at stake and
in the matter of marriage, it is proper to tell an untruth. Untruth
sometimes leads to the triumph of truth, and the latter dwindles into
untruth. Whichever conduces most to the good of all creatures is consi-
dered to be truth. Virtue is thus perverted ; mark thou its subtle ways.
O best of virtuous men, man's actions are either good or bad, and he
undoubtedly reaps their fruits. The ignorant man hav ing attained to an
abject state, grossly abuses the gods, not knowing that it is the conse-
quence of his own evil 'karma. The foolish, the designing and the fickle,
O good Brahmana, always attain the very reverse of happiness or
misery. Neither learning nor good morals, nor personal exertion can
save them. And if the fruits of our exertion were not dependent on any-
thing else, people would attain the object of their desire, by simply
striving to attain it. It is seen that able, intelligent and diligent persons
are baffled in their efforts, and do not attain the fruits of their actions.
On the other hand, persons who are always active in injuring others
and in practising deception on the world, lead a happy life. There are
some who attain prosperity without any exertion. And there are others,
who with the utmost exertion, are unable to achieve their dues. Miserly
persons with the object of having sons born to them worship the gods,
and practise severe austerities, and those sons having remained in the
womb for ten months at length turn out to be very infamous issue of
their race ; and others begotten under the same auspices, decently pass
thek lives in luxury with heaps of riches and grain accumulated by
their ancestors. The diseases from which man suffer, are undoubt-
edly the result of their own karma. They then behave like small deer at
the hands of hunters, and they are racked with mental troubles. And,
O Brahmana, as hunters intercept the flight of their game, the progress
VANA PARVA 461
of those diseases is checked by able and skilful physicians with their
collections of drugs. And, the best of the cherishers of religion, thou hast
observed that those who have it in their power to enjoy (the good
things of this earth), are prevented from doing so from the fact of their
suffering from chronic bowel-complaints, and that many others that are
strong and powerful, suffer from misery, and are enabled with great
difficulty to obtain a livelihood ; and that every man is thus helpless,
overcome by misery and illusion, and again and again tossed and ov er-
powered by the powerful current of his own actions (.karma). If there
were absolute freedom of action, no creature would die, none would be
subject to decay, or await his evil doom, and everybody would attain
the object of his desire. All persons desire to out distance their neigh-
bours (in the race of life), and they strive to do so to the utmost of their
power ; but the result turns out otherwise. Many are the persons born
under the influence of the same star and the same auspices of good luck ;
but a great diversity is observable in the maturity of their actions. No
person, O good Brahmana, can be the dispenser of his own lot. The
actions done in a previous existence are seen to fructify in our present
life. It is the immemorial tradition that the soul is eternal and everlast-
ing, but the corporeal frame of all creatures is subject to destruction
here (below). When therefore life is extinguished, the body only is des-
troyed, but the spirit, weddsd to its actions, travels elsewhere.'
"The Brahmana replied, 'O best of those versed in the doctrine of
karma, and in the delivery of discourses, I long to know accurately how
the soul becomes eternal.' The fowler replied, 'The spirit dies not, there
being simply a change of tenement. They are mistaken, who foolishly
say that all creatures die. The soul betakes itself to another frame, and
its change of habitation is called its death. In the world of men, no
man reaps the consequences of another man's karma. Whatever one
does, he is sure to reap the consequences thereof ; for the consequences
of the karma that is once done, can never be obviated. The virtuous
become endowed with great virtues, and sinful men become the perpe-
trators of wicked deeds. Men's actions follow them ; and influenced by
these, they are born again.' The Brahmana enquired, 'Why does the
spirit take its birth, and why does its nativity become sinful or virtuous,
and how, O good man, does it come to belong to a sinful or virtuous
race ?' The fowler replied, 'This mystery seems to belong to the subject
of procreation, but I shall briefly describe to you, O good Brahmana,
how the spirit is born again with its accumulated load of karma, the
righteous in a virtuous, and the wicked in a sinful nativity. By the
performance of virtuous actions it attains to the state of the gods, and
by a combination of good and evil, it acquires the human state ; by
indulgence in sensuality and similar demoralising practices it is born in
462 MAHABHABATA
the lower species of animals, and by sinful acts, it goes to the infernal
regions. Afflicted with the miseries of birth and dotage, man is fated
to rot here below from the ev il consequences of his own actions. Passing
through thousands of births as also the infernal regions, our spirits
wander about, secured by the fetters of their own karma. Animate beings
become miserable in the next world on account of these actions done by
themselves, and from the reaction of those miseries, they -assume lower
births and then they accumulate a new series of actions, and they conse-
quently suffer misery over again, like sickly men partaking of unwhole-
some food ; and although they are thus afflicted, they consider themselves
to be happy and at ease and consequently their fetters are not loosened
and new karma arises ; and suffering from diverse miseries they turn about
in this world like a wheel. If casting off their fetters they purify them-
selves by their actions and practise austerities and religious meditations,
then, O best of Brahmanas, they attain the Elysian regions by these
numerous acts and by casting off their fetters and by the purification
of karma, men attain those blissful regions where misery is unknown to
those who go there. The sinful man who is addicted to vices, never
comes to the end of his course of iniquities. Therefore must we strive
to do what is virtuous and forbear from doing what is unrighteous.
Whoever with a heart full of gratefulness and free from malice strives
to do what is good, attains wealth, virtue, happiness and heaven (here-
after). Those who are purified of sins, wise, forbearing, constant in
righteousness, and self -restrained enjoy continuous felicity in this as well
as in the next world. Man must follow the standard of v irtue of the
good and in his acts imitate the example of the righteous. There are
virtuous men, versed in holy writ and learned in all departments of
knowledge. Man's proper duty consists in following his own proper avo-
cation, and this being the case these latter do not become confused and
mixed up. The wise man delights in virtue and lives by righteousness.
And, O good Brahmana, such a man with the wealth of righteousness
which he hereby acquires, waters the root of the plant in which he finds
most virtue. The virtuous man acts thus and his mind is calmed. He
is pleased with his friends in this world and he also attains happiness
hereafter. Virtuous people, O good man, acquire dominion over all and
the pleasure of beauty, flavour, sound and touch according to their
desire. These are known to be the rewards of virtue. But the man of
enlightened v ision, O great Brahmana, is not satisfied with reaping the
fruits of righteousness. Not content with that, he with the light of
spiritual wisdom that is in him, becomes indifferent to pain and pleasure
and the vice of the world influenced! him not. Of his own free will he
becometh indifferent to worldly pursuits but he forsaketh not virtue.
Observing that everything worldly is evanescent, he trieth to renounce
VANA PAKVA 463
everything and counting on more chance he deviseth means for the
attainment of salvation. Thus doth he renounce the pursuits of the
world, shuneth the ways of sin, becometh virtuous and at last attaineth
salvation. Spiritual wisdom is the prime requisite of men for salvation ;
resignation and forbearance are its roots. By this means he attaineth all
the objects of this desire. But subduing the senses and by means of
truthfulness and forbearance, he attaineth, O good Brahmana, the
supreme asylum of Brahma.' The Brahmana again enquired, 'O thou
most eminent in virtue and constant in the performance of the religious
obligations, you talk of senses ; what are they ; how may they be sub-
dued ; and what is the good of subduing them ; and how doth a creature
reap the fruits thereof ? O pious man, I beg to acquaint myself with the
truth of his matter.' ''
SECTION CCIX
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'Hear, O king Yudhishthira what the
virtuous fowler, thus interrogated by that Brahmana, said to him in
reply. The fowler said, 'Men's minds are at first bent on the acquisi-
tion of knowledge. That acquired, O good Brahmana, they indulge in
their passions and desires, and for that end, they labour and set about
tasks of great magnitude and indulge in much-desired pleasures of
beauty, flavour, &c. Then follows fondness, then envy, then avarice
and then extinction of all spiritual light. And when men are thus in-
fluenced by avarice, and overcome by envy and fondness, their intellect
ceases to be guided by righteousness and they practise the very mockery
of virtue. Practising virtue with hypocrisy, they are content to
acquire wealth by dishonourable means with the wealth thus acquired
the intelligent principle in them becomes enamoured of those evil ways,
and they are filled with a desire to commit sins. And when, O good
Brahmana, their friends and men of wisdom remonstrate with them,
they are ready with specious answers, which are neither sound nor con-
vincing. From their being addicted to evil ways, they are guilty of a
threefold sin. They commit sin in thought, in word, as also in action.
They being addicted to wicked ways, all their good qualities die out, and
these men of wicked deeds cultivate the friendship of men of similar
character, and consequently they suffer misery in this world as well as
in the next. The sinful man is of this nature, and now hear of the man
of virtue. He discerns these evils by means of his spiritual insight, and
is able to discriminate between happiness and misery, and is full of res-
pectful attention to men of virtue, and from practising virtues, his mind
becomes inclined to righteousness.' The Brahmana replied, Thou hast
given a true exposition of religion which none else is able to expound.
464 MAHABHAEATA
Thy spiritual power is great, and thou dost appear to me to be like a
great Rishi* The fowler replied, 'The great Brahmanas are worshipped
with the same honours as our ancestors and they are always propitiated
with offerings of food before others. Wise men in this world do what is
pleasing to them, with all their heart. And I shall, O good Brahmana,
describe to thee what is pleasing to them, after having bowed down to
Brahmanas as a class. Do thou learn from me the Brahmanic philosophy.
This whole universe unconquerable everywhere and abounding in great
elements, is Brahma, and there is nothing higher than this. The earth,
air, water, fire and sky are the great elements. And form, odour, sound,
touch and taste are their characteristic properties. These latter too
have their properties which are also correlated to each other. And of
the three qualities, which are gradually characterised by each, in order
of priority is consciousness which is called the mind. The seventh is
intelligence and after that comes egoism : and then the five senses, then
the soul, then the moral qualities called sattiva, rajas and tamas. These
seventeen are said to be the unknown or incomprehensible qualities. I
have described all this to thee, what else dost thou wish to know ?' "
SECTION CCX
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'O Bharata, the Brahmana, thus interro-
gated by the virtuous fowler, resumed again this discourse so pleasing to
the mind. The Brahmana said, 'O best of the cherishers of religion, it is
said that there are five great elements; do thou describe to me in full the
properties of any one of the five/ The fowler replied, 'The earth, water,
fire, air and sky all have properties interlapping each other. I shall
describe them to thee. The earth, O Brahmana, has five qualities, water
four, fire three and the air and sky together three also. Sound, touch,
form, odour and taste — these five qualities belong to earth, and sound,
touch, form and taste, O austere Brahmana, have been described to thee
as the properties of water, and sound, touch and form are the three pro-
perties of fire and air has two properties sound and touch, and sound is
the property of sky. And, O Brahmana, these fifteen properties inherent
in five elements, exist in all substances of which this universe is composed.
And they are not opposed to one another ; they exist, O Brahmana, in
proper combination. When this whole uni v erse is thrown into a state of
confusion, then every corporeal being in the fulness of time, assumes
another corpus. It arises and perishes in due order. And there are
present the five elementary substances of which all the mobile and
immobile world is composed. Whatever is perceptible by the senses, is
called vyakta (knowable or comprehensible) and whatever is beyond the
VANA PAEVA 465
reach of the senses andean only be perceived by guesses, is known to be
avyakta (not vykta). When a person engages in the discipline of self-
examination, after having subdued the senses which have of their own
proper objective play in the external conditions of sound, form,&c, then
he beholds his own spirit pervading the universe, and the universe
reflected in itself. He who is wedded to his previous karma, although
skilled in the highest spiritual wisdom, is cognisant only of his soul's
objective existence, but the person whose soul is never affected by the
objective conditions around, is never subject to ills, owing to its absorp-
tion in the elementary spirit of Brahma. When a person has overcome
the domination of illusion, his manly v irtues consisting of the essence of
spiritual wisdom, turn to the spiritual enlightenment which illumines the
intelligence of sentient beings. Such a person is styled by the omni-
potent, intelligent Spirit as one who is without beginning and without
end, self-existent, immutable, incorporeal and incomparable. This, O
Brahmana, that thou hast enquired of me is only the result of self-
discipline. And this self-discipline can only be acquired by subduing
the senses. It cannot be otherwise, heaven and hell are both dependent
on our senses. When subdued, they lead to heaven ; when indulged in,
they lead to perdition. This subjugation of the senses is the highest
means of attaining spiritual light. Our senses are at the (cause) root
of our spiritual advancement as also at the root of our spiritual degrada-
tion. By indulging in them, a person undoubtedly contracts vices, and
by subduing these, he attains salvation. The self -restrained person who
acquires mastery over the six senses inherent in our nature, is never
tainted with sin, and consequently evil has no power over him. Man's
corporeal self has been compared to a chariot, his soul to a charioteer
and his senses to horses. A dexterous man drives about without confu-
sion, like a quiet charioteer with well-broken horses. That man is an
excellent driver, who knows how to patiently wield the reins of those
wild horses,— the six senses inherent in our nature. When our senses
become ungovernable like horses on the high road, we must patiently
rein them in ; for with patience, we are sure to get the better of them.
When a mans mind is overpowered by any one of these senses running
wild, he loses his reason, and becomes like a ship tossed by storms upon
the high ocean. Men are deceived by illusion in hoping to reap the
fruits of those six things, whose effects are studied by persons of
spiritual insight, who thereby reap the fruits of their clear perception."
28
SECTION CCXI
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Markandeya continued, "O Bharata, the fowler hav ing expounded
these abstruse points, the Brahmana with great attention again
enquired of him about these subtle topics. The Brahmana said, 'Do
thou truly describe to me, who now duly ask thee, the respective
virtues of the qualities of sattwa, rajas, and tamas' The fowler replied,
'Very well, I shall tell thee what thou hast asked. I shall describe
separately their respective virtues, do thou listen. Of them tamas is
characterised by illusion (spiritual), rajas incites (men to action), sattwa
is of great grandeur, and on that account, it is said to be the greatest of
them. He who is greatly under the influence of spiritual ignorance, who
is foolish, senseless and given to dreaming, who is idle, unenergetic and
swayed by anger and haughtiness, is said to be under the influence of
tamas. And, O Brahmana rishi, that excellent man who is agreeable in
speech, thoughtful, free from envy, industrious in action from an eager
desire to reap its fruits, and of warm temperament, is said to be under
the influence of rajas. And he who is resolute, patient, not subject to
anger, free from malice, and is not skilful in action from want of a sel-
fish desire to reap its fruits, wise and forbearing, is said to be under the
influence of sattwa. When a man endowed with the sattwa quality, is
influenced by worldliness, he suffers misery ; but he hates worldliness,
when he realises its full significance. And then a feeling of indifference
to worldly affairs begins to influence him. And then his pride decreases,
and uprightness becomes more prominent, and his conflicting moral sen-
timents are reconciled. And then self-restraint in any matter becomes
unnecessary. A man, O Brahmana, may be born in the Sudra caste, but
if he is possessed of good qualities, he may attain the state of Vaisya and
similarly that of a Kshatriya, and if he is steadfast in rectitude, he may
even become a Brahmana. I have described to thee these virtues, what
else dost thou wish to learn ?' '
SECTION CCXII
(Narkandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"The Brahmana enquired, 'How is it that fire ( vital force ) in
combination with the earthly element (matter), becomes the corporeal
tenement (of living creatures), and how doth the vital air (the breath of
life) according to the nature of its seat (the muscles and nerves) excite
to action (the corporeal frame) ?' Markandeya said, 'This question, O
VANA PAKVA 467
Yudhishthira, having been put to the Brahmana by the fowler, the
tatter, in reply, said to that high-minded Brahmana. (The fowler said) :—
The vital spirit manifesting itself in the seat of consciousness, causes the
action of the corporeal frame. And the soul being present in both of
them acts (through them). The past, the present and the future are
inseparably associated with the soul. And it is the highest of a crea-
ture's possessions ; it is of the essence of the Supreme Spirit and we
adore it. It is the animating principle of all creatures, and it is the
eternal purusha (spirit). It is great and it is the intelligence and the
ego, and it is the subjective seat of the various properties of elements.
Thus while seated here (in a corporeal frame) it is sustained in all its
relations external or internal (to matter or mind) by the subtle ethereal
air called prana, and thereafter, each creature goes its own way by the
action of another subtle air called Samana. And this latter transforming
itself into Apana air, and supported by the head of the stomach carries
the refuse matter of the body, urine, &c, to the kidneys and intestines.
That same air is present in the three elements of effort, exertion and
power, and in that condition it is called Udana air by persons learned
in physical science, and when manifesting itself by its presence at all
the junctional points of the human system, it is known by the name
Vyana. And the internal heat is diffused over all the tissues of our
system, and supported by these kinds of air, it transforms our food and
the tissues and the humours of our system. And by the coalition of
Prana and other airs, a reaction ( combination ) ensues, and the heat
generated thereby is known as the internal heat of the human system
which causes the digestion of our food. The Prana and the Apana air are
interposed within the Samana and the Udana air. And the heat genera-
ted by their coalition causes the growth of the body (consisting of the
seven substances, bones, muscles, &c). And that portion of its seat extend-
ing to as far as the rectum is called Apana ; and from that arteries arise
in the five airs Prana, &c. The Prana air, acted on by the heat strikes
against the extremity of the Apana region and then recoiling, it reacts on
the heat. Above the navel is the region of undigested food and below
it the region of digestion And the Prana and all other airs of the system
are seated in the navel. The arteries issuing from the heart run
upwards and downwards, as also in oblique directions ; they carry the
best essence of our food, and are acted upon by the ten Prana airs. This
is the way by which patient Yogins who have overcome all difficulties,
and who view things with an impartial and equal eye, with their souls
seated in the brain, find the Supreme Spirit, the Prana and the Apana
airs are thus present in the body of all creatures. Know that the spirit
is embodied incorporeal disguise, in the elev en allotropous conditions (of
the animal system), and that though eternal, its normal state is appar*
468 MAfiABHABATA
ently modified by its accompaniments, — even like the fire purified in its
pan, — eternal, yet with its course altered by its surroundings ; and that
the divine thing which is kindred with the body is related to the latter
in the same way as a drop of water to the sleek surface of a lotus-leaf
on which it rolls. Know that sattwa, rajas and tamas, are the attributes
of all life and that life is the attribute of spirit, and that the latter again
is an attribute of the Supreme Spirit. Inert, insensible matter is the
seat of the living principle, which is active in itself and induces activity
in others. That thing by which the seven worlds are incited to action is
called the most high by men of high spiritual insight. Thus in all these
elements, the eternal spirit does not show itself, but is perceived by the
learned in spiritual science by reason of their high and keen perception.
A pure-minded person, by purification of his heart, is able to destroy
the good and evil effect of his actions and attains eternal beatitude by
the enlightenment of his inward spirit. That state of peace and puri-
fication of heart is likened to the state of a person who in a cheerful
state of mind sleeps soundly, or the brilliance of a lamp trimmed by a
skilful hand. Such a pure-minded person living on spare diet perceives
the Supreme Spirit reflected in his own, and by practising concentration
of mind in the evening and small hours of the night, he beholds the
Supreme Spirit which has no attributes, in the light of his heart, shin-
ing like a dazzling lamp, and thus he attains salvation. Avarice and
anger must be subdued by all means, for this act constitutes the most
sacred virtue that people can practise and is considered to be the
means by which men can cross over to the other side of this sea of
affliction and trouble. A man must preserve his righteousness from
being overcome by the evil consequences of anger, his virtues from the
effects of pride, his learning from the effects of vanity, and his own
spirit from illusion. Leniency is the best of virtues, and forbearance is
the best of powers, the knowledge of our spiritual nature is the best of
all knowledge, and truthfulness is the best of all religious obligations.
The telling of truth is good, and the knowledge of truth may also be
good, but what conduces to the greatest good of all creatures, is known
as the highest truth. He whose actions are performed not with the object
of securing any reward or blessing, who has sacrificed all to the require-
ments of his renunciation, is a real Sannyasin and is really wise. And as
communion with Brahma cannot be taught to us, even by our spiritual
preceptor, — he only giving us a clue to the mystery— renunciation of
the material world is called Yoga. We must not do harm to any crea-
ture and must live in terms of amity with all, and in this our present
existence, we must not avenge ourselves on any creature. Self-abnega-
tion, peace of mind, renunciation of hope, and equanimity, — these are
the ways by which spiritual enlightenment can always be secured ; and
VANA PARVA 469
the knowledge of self (one's own spiritual nature) is the best of all
knowledge. In this world as well as hereafter, renouncing all worldly
desires and assuming a stoic indifference, wherein all suffering is at rest,
people should fulfil their religious duties with the aid of their intelli-
gence. The muni who desires to obtain moksha (salvation), which is
very difficult to attain, must be constant in austerities, forbearing, self-
restramed, and must give up that longing fondness which binds him to
the things of this earth. They call these the attributes of the Supreme
Spirit. The gunas (qualities or attributes) that we are conscious of,
reduce themselves to agunas (non-gunas) in Him ; He is not bound by
anything, and is perceptible only by the expansion and development of
our spiritual vision ; as soon as the illusion of ignorance is dispelled, this
supreme unalloyed beatitude is attained. By foregoing the objects of
both pleasure and pain and by renouncing the feelings which bind him
to the things of this earth, a man may attain Brahma (Supreme Spirit or
salvation). O good Brahmana, I have now briefly explained to thee all
this, as I hav e heard. What else dost thou wish to know ?' "
SECTION CCXIII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'When, O Yudhishthira, all this mystery of
salvation was explained to that Brahmana, he was highly pleased and
he said addressing the fowler, 'All this that thou hast explained, is
rational, and it seems to me that there is nothing in connection with the
mysteries of religion which thou dost not know.' The fowler replied, 'O
good and great Brahmana, thou shalt perceive with thine own eyes, all
the virtue that I lay claim to, and by reason of which I have attained
this blissful state. Rise, worshipful sir, and quickly enter this inner
apartment. O virtuous man, it is proper that thoushouldst see my father
and my mother.' Markandeya continued, 'Thus addressed the Brahmana
went in, and beheld a fine beautiful mansion. It was a magnificient
house divided in four suites of rooms, admired by gods and looking like
one of their palaces ; it was also furnished with seats and beds, and
redolent of excellent perfumes. His revered parents clad in white
robes, hav ing finished their meals, were seated at ease. The fowler,
beholding them, prostrated himself before them with his head at their
feet. His aged parents then addressed him thus, 'Rise, O man of piety,
rise, may righteousness shield thee ; we are much pleased with thee for
thy piety ; mayst thou be blessed with a long life, and with knowledge,
high intelligence, and fulfilment of thy desires. Thou art a good and
dutiful son, for, we are constantly and reasonably looked after by thee,
and even amongst the celestials thou hast not another divinity to wor-
ship. By constantly subduing thyself, thou hast become endowed with
470 MAHABHABATA
the self-restraining power of Brahmanas and all thy grandsires and
ancestors are constantly pleased with thee for thy self -restraining virtues
and for thy piety towards us. In thought, word or deed thy attention
to us never flags, and it seems that at present thou hast no other thought
in thy mind (save as to how to please us). As Rama, the son of Jama-
dagni, laboured to please his aged parents, so hast thou, O Son, done
to please us, and even more. Then the fowler introduced the Brahmana
to his parents and they received him with the usual salutation of wel-
come, and the Brahmana accepting their welcome, enquired if they,
with their children and servants, were all right at home, and if they
were always enjoying good health at that time (of life). The aged couple
replied, 'At home, O Brahmana, we are all right, with all our servants.
Hast thou, adorable sir, reached this place without any difficulty ?'
Markandeya continued, 'The Brahmana replied, 'Yes, I have.' Then
the fowler addressing himself to the Brahmana said to him, 'These my
parents, worshipful sir, are the idols that I worship ; whatever is due
to the gods, I do unto them. As the thirty- three gods with Indra at
their head are worshipped by men, so are these aged parents of mine
worshipped by me. As Brahmanas exert themselves for the purpose
of procuring offering for their gods, so do I act with diligence for these
two (idols of mine). These my father and mother, O Brahmana, are my
supreme gods, and I seek to please them always with offerings of flowers,
fruits and gems. To me they are like the three sacred fires mentioned
by the learned ; and, O Brahmana, they seem to me to be as good as
sacrifices or the four Vedas. My five life-giving airs, my wife and
children and friends are all for them (dedicated to their ser v ice). And
with my wife and children I always attend on them. O good Brahmana,
with my own hands I assist them in bathing and also wash their feet
and give them food and I say to them only what is agreeable, leaving
out what is unpleasant. I consider it to be my highest duty to do what
is agreeable to them even though it be not strktly justifiable. And, O
Brahmana, I am always diligent in attending on them. The two
parents, the sacred fire, the soul and the spiritual preceptor, these five,
O good Brahmana, are worthy of the highest rev erence from a person
who seeks prosperity. By serving them properly, one acquires the
merit of perpetually keeping up the sacred fire. And it is the eternal
and invariable duty of all house-holders.' "
SECTION CCXIV
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'The v irtuous fowler, hav ing introduced
his (both) parents to that Brahmana as his highest gurus, again spoke to
him as follows, 'Mark thou the power of this v irtue of mine, by which
my inner spiritual vision is extended. For this, thou wast told by
that self -restrained, truthful lady, devoted to her husband, 'Hie thee to
Mithila; for there lives a fowler who will explain to thee, the mysteries
of religion.1 The Brahmana said, 'O pious man, so constant in fulfilling
thy religious obligations, bethinking myself of what that truthful good-
natured lady so true to her husband, hath said, lam convinced that
thou art really endowed with every high quality.' The fowler replied,
1 have no doubt, my lord, that what that lady, so faithful to her husband,
said to thee about me, was said with full knowledge of the facts. I have,
0 Brahmana, explained to thee all this as a matter of favour. And now,
good sir, listen to me. I shall explain what is good for thee. O good
Brahmana, of irreproachable character, thou hast wronged thy father and
thy mother, for thou hast left home without their permission, for the
purpose of learning the Vedas. Thou hast not acted properly in this
matter, for thy ascetic and aged parents have become entirely blind from
grief at thy loss. Do thou return home to console them. May this
virtue never forsake thee. Thou art high-minded, of ascetic merit, and
always devoted to thy religion, but all these have become useless to thee.
Do thou without delay return to console thy parents. Do have seme
regard for my words and not act otherwise ; I tell thee what is good for
thee, O Brahmana Rishi, Do thou return home this very day.' The
Brahmana replied, 'This that thou hast said, is undoubtedly true ; mayst
thou, O pious man, attain prosperity ; I am much pleased with thee.'
The fowler said, 'O Brahmana, as thou practisest with assiduousness
those divine, ancient, and eternal virtues which are so difficult of attain-
ment even by pure-minded persons, thou appearest(to me) like a divine
being. Return to the side of thy father and mother and be quick and
diligent in honouring thy parents ; for, I do not know if there is any
virtue higher than this.' The Brahmana replied, 'By a piece of singular
good luck have I arrived here, and by a piece of similar good luck have
1 thus been associated with thee. It is very difficult to find out, in our
midst, a person who can so well expound the mysteries of religion ;
there is scarcely one man among thousands, who is well versed in the
science of religion. I am very glad, O great man, to have secured thy
friendship ; mayst thou be prosperous. I was on the point of falling into
hell, but was extricated by thee. It was destined to be so, for thou
didst (unexpectedly) come in my way. And, O great man, as the fallen
472 MAHABHAEATA
King Yayati was saved by his virtuous grandsons (daughter's sons), so,
have I now been saved by thee. According to thy advice, I shall
honour my father and my mother ; for a man with an impure heart
can never expound the mysteries of sin and righteousness. As it is very
difficult for a person born in the Sudra class to learn the mysteries of
the eternal religion, I do not consider thee to be a Sudra. There must
surely be some mystery in connection with this matter. Thou must
have attained the Sudra's estate by reason of the fruition of thine own
past karma. O magnanimous man, I long to know the truth about this
matter. Do thou tell it to me with attention and according to thy own
inclination.'
"The fowler replied, 'O good Brahmana, Brahmanas are worthy
of all respect from me. Listen, O sinless one, to this story of a previous
existence of mine. O son of an excellent Brahmana, I was formerly a
Brahmana, well-read in the Vedas, and an accomplished student of the
Vadangas. Through my own fault I have been degraded to my present
state. A certain king, accomplished in the science of dhanurveda (science
of archery), was my friend ; and from his companionship, O Brahmana,
I, too, became skilled in archery ; and one day the king, in company with
his ministers and followed by his best warriors, went out on a hunting
expedition. He killed a large number of deer near a hermitage. I, too,
O good Brahmana, discharged a terrible arrow. And a rishi was wounded
by that arrow with its head bent out. He fell down upon the ground,
and screaming loudly said, 'I have harmed no one, what sinful man has
done this ?' And, my lord, taking him for a deer, I went up to him and
found that he was pierced through the body by my arrow. On account
of my wicked deed I was sorely grieved (in mind). And then I said to
that rishi of severe ascetic merit, who was loudly crying, lying upon the
ground, 1 have done this unwittingly, O rishi' And also this I said to
the muni : 'Do thou think it proper to pardon all this transgression.' But,
O Brahmana, the rishi, lashing himself into a fury, said to me, 'Thou
shalt be born as a cruel fowler in the Sudra class.' "
SECTION CCXV
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"The fowler continued, Thus cursed by that rishi, I sought to pro-
pitiate him with these words : 'Pardon me, O muni, I have done this
wicked deed unwittingly. It behoves thee to pardon all that. Do thou,
worshipful sir, soothe yourself.1 The rishi replied, 'The curse that I have
pronounced can never be falsified, this is certain. But from kindness
towards thee, I shall do thee a favour. Though born in the Sudra class
thou shalt remain a pious man and thou shalt undoubtedly honour thy
VANA PABVA 473
parents ; and by honouring them thou shalt attain great spiritual per-
fection ; thou shalt also remember the events of thy past life and shalt
go to heaven ; and on the expiation of this curse, thou shalt again
become a Brahmana. O best of men, thus, of old was I cursed by that
rishi of severe power, and thus was he propitiated by me. Then, O good
Brahmana, I extricated the arrow from his body, and took him into the
hermitage, but he was not deprived of his life ( recovered ). O good
Brahmana, I have thus described to thee what happened to me of old,
and also how I can go to heaven hereafter.' The Brahmana said, 'O
thou of great intelligence, all men are thus subject to happiness or
misery, thou shouldst not therefore grieve for that. In obedience to
the customs of thy ( present ) race, thou hast pursued these wicked
ways, but thou art always devoted to virtue and versed in the ways
and mysteries of the world. And, O learned man, these being the
duties of thy profession, the stain of evil karma will not attach to thee.
And after dwelling here for some little time, thou shalt again become
a Brahmana ; and even now, I consider thee to be a Brahmana, there is
no doubt about this. For the Brahmana who is vain and haughty, who
is addicted to v ices and wedded to ev il and degrading practices, is like
a Sudra. On the other hand, I consider a Sudra who is always adorned
with these virtues, — righteousness, self-restraint, and truthfulness, — as
a Brahmana. A man becomes a Brahmana by his character ; by his
own evil karma a man attains an evil and terrible doom. O good
man, I believe that sin in thee has now died out. Thou must not
grieve for this, for men, like thee who art so virtuous and learned in
the ways and mysteries of the world, can have no cause for grief.'
"The fowler replied, 'The bodily afflictions should be cured with
medicines, and the mental ones with spiritual wisdom. This is the
power of knowledge. Knowing this, the wise should not behave like
boys. Man of low intelligence are overpowered with grief at the
occurrence of something which is not agreeable to them, or non-occur-
rence of ^something which is good or much desired. Indeed, all crea-
tures are subject to this characteristic (of grief or happiness). It is not
merely a single creature or class that is subject to misery. Cognisant
of this evil, people quickly mend their ways, and if they perceive it at
the very 'outset they succeed in curing it altogether. Whoever
grieves for it, only makes himself uneasy. Those wise men whose
knowledge has made them happy and contented, and who are in-
different to happiness and misery alike, are really happy. The wise
are always contented and the foolish always discontented. There is
no end to discontentment, and contentment is the highest happiness.
People who have reached the perfect way, do not grieve, they are
always conscious of the final destiny of all creatures. One must not
29
474 MAHABHABATA
give way to discontent1 for it is like a virulent poison. It kills
persons of undeveloped intelligence, just as child is killed by an
enraged snake. That man has no manliness whose energies have left him
and who is overpowered with perplexity when an occasion for the
exercise of vigour presents itself. Our actions are surely followed by
their consequences. Whoever merely gives himself up to passive
indifference ( to worldly affairs ) accomplishes no good. Instead of
murmuring one must try to find out the way by which he can secure
exemption from (spiritual) misery ; and the means of salvation found,
he must then free himself from sensuality. The man who has attained
a high state of spiritual knowledge is always conscious of the great
deficiency ( instability ) of all matter. Such a person keeping in view
the final doom ( of all ), never grieves, I too, O learned man, do not
grieve ; I stay here ( in this life ) biding my time. For this reason, O
best of men, I am not perplexed (with doubts).' The Brahmana said,
'Thou art wise and high in spiritual knowledge and vast is thy intelli-
gence. Thou who art v ersed in holy writ, art content with thy spiri-
tual wisdom. I have no cause to find fault with thee. Adieu, O best of
pious men, mayst thou be prosperous, and may righteousness shield
thee, and mayst thou be assiduous in the practice of virtue.'
"Markandeya continued, 'The fowler said to him, 'Be it so\ And
the good Brahmana walked round him2 and then departed. And the
Brahmana returning home was duly assiduous in his attention to his
old parents. I have thus, O pious Yudhishthira, narrated in detail to thee
this history full of moral instruction, which thou, my good son, didst
ask me to recite, — the virtue of women's devotion to their husbands
and that of filial piety.' Yudhishthira replied, 'O most pious Brahmana
and best of munis, thou hast related to me this good and wonderful
moral story ; and listening to thee, O learned man, my time has glided
away like a moment ; but, O adorable sir, I am not as yet satiated with
hearing this moral * discourse.' '
SECTION CCXVI
(Harkandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Vaisampayana continued, "The virtuous king Yudhishthira, having
listened to this excellent religious discourse, again addressed himself to
the rishi Markandeya saying, 'Why did the fire-god hide himself in
water in olden times, and why is it that Angiras of great splendour official
1 Vishada is the original. It means discontent, but here it means
more a mixture of discontent, perplexity and confusion than mere discontent.
2 A form of Hindu etiquette at parting.
3 It is so very difficult to translate the word karma, — religion and
morals were invariably associated with each other in ancient Hindu mind.
VANA PARVA 475
ing as fire-god, used to convey1 oblations during his dissolution. There
is but one fire, but according to the nature of its action, it is seen to
divide itself into many. O worshipful sir, I long to be enlightened on
all these points, — How the Kumar a2 was born, how he came to be
known as the son of Agni (the fire-god) and how he was begotten by
Rudra or Ganga and Krittika. O noble scion of Bhrigu's race, I desire
to learn all this accurately as it happened. O great muni, I am filled
with great curiosity.1 Markandeya replied, In this connection this old
story is cited by the learned, as to how the carrier of oblations (the
fire-god) in a fit of rage, sought the waters of the sea in order to per-
form a penance, and how the adorable Angiras transforming himself
into the fire-god, destroyed darkness and distressed the world with his
scorching rays. In olden times, O long-armed hero, the great Angiras
performed a wonderful penance in his hermitage ; he even excelled the
fire-god, the carrier of oblations, in splendour and in that state he
illumined the whole universe. At that time the fire-god was also per-
forming a penance and was greatly distressed by his (Angirasa's) efful-
gence. He was greatly depressed, but did not know what to do. Then
that adorable god thought within himself, 'Brahma has created another
fire-god for this universe. As I have been practising austerities, my
ser v ices as the presiding deity of fire hav e been dispensed with ; and
then he considered how he could re-establish himself as the god of
fire. He beheld the great muni giving heat to the whole universe
like fire, and approached him slowly with fear. But Angiras said
to him, 'Do thou quickly re-establish yourself as the fire animating
the universe, thou art well-known in the three stable worlds
and thou wast first created by Brahma to dispel darkness Do thou, O
destroyer of darkness, quickly occupy thine own proper place.' Agni
replied, 'My reputation has been injured now in this world. And thou
art become the fire-god, and people will know thee, and not me, as fire.
I have relinquished my god-hood of fire, do thou become the primeval
fire and I shall officiate as the second or Prajapatyaka fire.' Angiras
replied, 'Do thou become the fire-god and the destoyer of darkness
and do thou attend to thy sacred duty of clearing people's way to
heaven, and do thou, O lord, make me speedily thy first child.'
Markandeya continued, 'Hearing these words of Angiras, the fire-god
did as desired, and, O king, Angiras had a son named Vrihaspati. Know-
ing him to be the first son of Angiras by Agni, the gods, O Bharata, came
and enquired about the mystery. And thus asked by the gods he then
enlightened them, and the gods then accepted the explanation of
Angiras. In this connection, I shall describe to thee religious sorts of
fire of great effulgence which are here variously known in the
Brahmanas4 by their respective uses."
1 Agni or fire was supposed to convey the oblations offered by men
to the gods.
2 Kumara means a boy, hence a prince. Here Kartika the war-
god is meant.
3 By carrying their oblations to the gods.
4 Portions of the Vedas.
SECTION CCXVII
( Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued )
Markandeya continued, 'O ornament of Kuril's race, he ( Angiras)
who was the third son of Brahma had a wife of the name of Subha. Do
thou hear of the children he had by her. His son Vrihaspati, O king, was
very famous, large-hearted and of great bodily vigour. His genius and
learning were profound, and he had a great reputation as a counsellor.
Bhanumati was his first-born daughter. She was the most beautiful of
all his children. Angiras' s second daughter was called Raga. * She was so
named because she was the object of all creature's love. Siniwali was the
third daughter of Angiras. Her body was of such slender make that she
was visible at one time and invisible at another ; and for this reason she
was likened to Rudra's daughter. Archismati was his fourth daughter,
she was so named from her great refulgence. And his fifth daughter was
called Havishmati, so named from her accepting havis or oblations. The
sixth daughter of Angiras was called Mahismatithe pious. O keen-witted
being, the seventh daughter of Angiras is known by the name of Mana-
ma ti, who is always present at sacrifices of great splendour, and that
worshipful daughter of Angiras, whom they call unrivalled and without
portion, and about whom people utter the words kuhu kuhu wonder, is
known by the name of Kuhu.'
SECTION CCXVIII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'Vrihaspati had a wife (called Tara)
belonging to the lunar world. By her, he had six sons partaking of the
energy of fire, and one daughter. The fire in whose honour oblations of
clarified butter are offered at the Paurnamasya and other sacrifices, was
a son of Vrihaspati called Sanju ; he was of great ascetic merit. At the
Chaturmasya (four-monthly) and Aswamedha (horse) sacrifices, animals
are offered first in his honour, and this powerful fire is indicated by
numerous flames. Sanju's wife was called Satya, she was of matchless
beauty and she sprang from Dharma (righteousness) for the sake of
truth. The blazing fire was his son, and he had three daughters of great
religious merit. The fire which is honoured with the first oblations at
sacrifices is his first son called Bharadwaja. The second son of Sanju is
called Bharata in whose honour oblations of clarified butter are offered
with the sacrificial ladle (called Sruk) at all the full moon (.Paurnam-
asaya) sacrifices. Beside these, three sons of whom Bharata is the senior,
he had a son named Bharata and a daughter called Bharati. The
1 Bag a means love.
VANA PABVA 477
Bharata fire is the son of Prajapati Bharata Agni (fire). And, O orna-
ment of Bharata's race, because he is greatly honoured, he is also called
the great. Vira is Bharadwaja's wife ; she gave birth to Vira. It is said by
the Brahmanas that he is worshipped like Soma (with the same hymns)
with offerings of clarified butter. He is joined with Soma in the secon-
dary oblation of clarified butter and is also called Rathaprabhu, Ratha-
dhwana and Kumbhareta. He begot a son named Siddhi by his wife
Sarayu, and enveloped the sun with his splendour and from being the
presiding genius of the fire sacrifice he is ever mentioned in the hymns
in praise of fire. And the fire Nischyavana praises the earth only ; he
never suffers in reputation, splendour and prosperity. The sinless fire
Satya blazing with pure flame is his son. He is free from all taint and
is not defiled by sin, and is the regulator of time. That fire has another
name Nishkriti, because he accomplished the Nishkriti (relief) of all
blatant creatures here. When properly worshipped he vouchsafes good
fortune. His son is called Swana, who is the generator of all diseases ; he
inflicts severe sufferings on people for which they cry aloud, and
moves in the intelligence of the whole universe. And the other fire
(Vrihaspati's third son) is called Viswajit by men of spiritual wisdom.
The fire, which is known as the internal heat by which the food of all
creatures is digested, is the fourth son of Vrihaspati known through all
the worlds, O Bharata, by the name of Viswabhuk. He is self-restrained,
of great religious merit, and is a Brahmacharin and he is worshipped by
Brahmanas at the Paka-sacrifiees. The sacred river Gomati was his wife
and by her all religious-minded men perform their rites. And that
terrible water-drinking sea fire called Vadava is the fifth son of
Vrihaspati. This Brahmic fire has a tendency to move upwards and
hence it is called Urdhvabhag, and is seated in the vital air called Prana.
The sixth son is called the great Swishtakrit ; for by him oblations
became swishta (sw, excellently, and ishta, offered) and the udagdhara
oblation is always made in his honour. And when all creatures are
claimed, the fire called Manyauti becomes filled with fury. This
inexorably terrible and highly irascible fire is the daughter of Vrihaspati,
and is known as Swaha and is present in all matter. ( By the respective
influence of the three qualities of sattwa, rajas and tamas, Swaha had three
sons. ) By reason of the first she had a son who was equalled by none in
heaven in personal beauty, and from this fact he was surnamed by the
gods as the Kama-fire.1 (By reason of the second) she had a son called
the Amogha or invincible fire, the destroyer of his enemies in battle.
Assured of success he curbs his anger and is armed with a bow and
seated on a chariot and adorned with wreaths of flowers. (From the
action of the third quality) she had a son, the great Uktha (the means
of salvation) praised by ( akin to ) three Ukthas.3 He is the originator
of the great word8 and is therefore known as the Samaswasa or the
means of rest (salvation).1 "
1 Kama is the name of the god of love, Indian Cupid.
2 The body, the exciting Cause of our actions is an uktha, the soul of
the vivifier of the body is the second uktha&nd. the Supreme Spirit, the
inciter of the soul is the third.
3 The word of God.
SECTION CCXIX
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'He ( Uktha ) performed a severe
penance lasting for many years, with the v iew of hav ing a pious son
equal unto Brahma in reputation. And when the invocation was made
with the vyahriti hymns and with the aid of the five sacred fires,
Kasyapa, Vasistha, Prana, the son of Prana, Chyavana, the son of
Angiras, and Suvarchaka — there arose a very bright energy ( force )
full of the animating (creative) principle, and of five different
colours. Its head was of the colour of the blazing fire, its arms were
bright like the sun, and its skin and eyes were golden-coloured and its
feet, O Bharata, were black. Its five colours were given to it by
those five men by reason of their great penance. This celestial being
is therefore described as appertaining to five men, and he is the pro-
genitor of five tribes. After having performed a penance for ten thou-
sand yeais, that being of great ascetic merit produced the terrible
fire appertaining to the Pitris (manes) in order to begin the work of
creation, and from his head and mouth respectively he created Vrihat
and Rathantara (day and night) who quickly steal away ( life, &c. ).
He also created Siva from his navel, Indra from his might and wind
and fire from his soul, and from his two arms sprang the hymns Udatta
and Anudatta. He also produced the mind, and the five senses, and
other creatures. Hav ing created these, he produced the fiv e sons of the
Pitris. Of these Pranidhi was the son of Vrihadratha. Vrihadratha was
the son of Kasyapa. Bhanu was the godson of Chyavana, Saurabha, the
son of Suvarchaka, and Anudatta, the son of Prana. These twenty five
beings are reputed (to have been created by him). Tapa also created
fifteen other gods who obstruct sacifices1 . They are Subhima, Bhima,
Atibhima, Bhima vala, Avala, Sumitra, Mitravana, Mitasina Mitravar-
dhana and Mitradharman,2 and Surapravira, Vira, Suveka, Suravarchas
and Surahantri. These gods are divided into three classes of five each.
Located here in this world, they destroy the sacrifices of the gods in
heaven; they frustrate their objects and spoil their oblations of clari-
fied butter. They do this only to spite the sacred fires carrying oblations
to the gods. If the officiating priests are careful, they place the obla-
tions in their honour outside of the sacrificial altar. To that particular
place where the sacred fire may be placed, they cannot go. They carry
the oblation of their votaries by means of wings. When appeased by
hymns, they do not frustrate the sacrificial rites. Vrihaduktha, another
son of Tapa, belongs to the Earth. He is worshipped here in this world
by pious men performing Agnihotra sacrifices. Of the son of Tapa who
is known as Rathantara, it is said by officiating priests that the sacri-
ficial oblation offered in his honour is offered to Mitravinda. The
celebrated Tapa was thus very happy with his sons."
1 In Hindu Mythology there are no gods who destroy sacrifices. It
is only the Asuras who do so. The Burdwan translator renders this passage,
— "fifteen other gods belonging to western nations or Asuras.'' It is notice-
able that the beings that were denounced as Asuras by the Hindus were
worshipped as gods (Asuras) by the follower of Zarathustra.
2 In connection with the names of these Mitra-gods, it is to be
remembered that Mitra was the name of the principal god of the ancient
Persians.
SECTION CCXX
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'The fire called Bharata was bound by
severe rules of asceticism. Pushtimati is another name of his fire ;
for when he is satisfied he vouchsafes pushti (development) to all
creatures, and for this reason he is called Bharata (or the Cherisher).
And that other fire, by name Siva, is devoted to the worship of Sakti
(the forces of the presiding deity of the forces of Nature), and because
he always relieves the sufferings of all creatures afflicted with misery,
he is called Siva (the giver of good). And on the acquisition of great
ascetic wealth by Tapa, an intelligent son named Puranda was born
to inherit the same. Another son named Ushma was also born. This
fire is observed in the vapour of all matter. A third son Manu was
born. He officiated as Prajapati. The Brahmanas who are learned in
the Vedas, then speak of the exploits of the fire Sambhu. And after
that the bright Avasathya fire of great refulgence is spoken of by the
Brahmanas. Tapa thus created the five Urjaskara fires, all bright as
gold. These all share the Soma drink in sacrifices. The great sun-god
when fatigued ( after his day's labours ) is known as the Prasanta fire.
He created the terrible Asuras and various other creatures of the
earth. Angiras, too created the Prajapati Bhanu, the son of Tapa. He
is also called Vrihadbhanu (the great Bhanu) by Brahmanas learned in
the Vedas Bhanu married Supraja, and Vrihadbhanu the daughter
of Surya ( the sun-god). They gave birth to six sons ; do thou hear of
their progeny. The fire who gives strength to the weak is called
Valada ( or the giver of strength ) He is the first son of Bhanu, and
that other fire who looks terrible when all the elements are in a tran-
quil state is called the Manjuman fire ; he is the second son of Bhanu.
And the fire in whose honour oblations of clarified butter are enjoined
to be made here at the Darsa and Paurnamasya sacrifices, and who is
known as Vishnu in this world, is (the third son of Bhanu) called
Angiras, or Dhritiman. And the fire to whom with Indra, the Agrayana
oblation is enjoined to be made is called the Agrayana fire. He is
the (fourth ) son of Bhanu The fifth son of Bhanu is Agraha who is
the source of the oblations which are daily made for the performance of
the Chaturmasya (four- monthly) rites. And Stuva is the sixth son of
Bhanu. Nisa was the name of another wife of that Manu who is
known by the name of Bhanu. She gave birth to one daughter, the
two Agnishomas, and also five other fire-gods. The resplendent fire-
god who is honoured with the first oblations in company with the
presiding deity of the clouds is called Vaiswanara. And that other
fire who is called the lord of all the worlds is Viswapati, the second
son of Manu. And the daughter of Manu is called Swistakrit, because
by oblations unto her one acquires great merit Though she was the
480 MAHABHARA1A
daughter of Hiranyakasipu, she yet became his wife for her evil deeds.
She is, however, one of the Prajapatis. And that other fire which has
its seats in the vital airs of all creatures and animates their bodies, is
called Sannihita. It is the cause of our perceptions of sound and form.
That divine spirit whose course is marked with black and white stains,
who is the supporter of fire, and who, though free from sin, is the
accomplisher of desired karma, whom the wise regard as a great Rishi,
is the fire Kapila, the propounder of the Yoga system called Sankhya.
The fire through whom the elementary spirits always receive the
offerings called Agra made by other creatures at the performance of all
the peculiar rites in this world is called Agrani. And these other
bright fires famous in the world, were created for the rectification of
the Agnihotra rites when marred by any defects. If the fires intsrlap
each other by the action of the wind, then the rectification must be
made with the Ashtakapala rites in honour of the fire Suchi. And if
the southern fire comes in contact with the two other fires, then
rectification must be made by the performance of the Ashtakapala rites
in honour of the fire Viti. If the fires in their place called Nivesa
come in contact with the fire called Devagni, then the Ashtakapala
rites must be performed in honour of the fire Suchi for rectification.
And if the perpetual fire is touched by a woman in her monthly course,
then for rectification the Ashtakapala rites must be performed in honour
of the fire called Dasyuman. If at the time of the performance of this
Agnihotra rites the death of any creature is spoken of, or if animals die,
then rectification must be made with the performance of the Ashtakapala
rites in honour of the Suraman fire. The Brahmana, who while
suffering from a disease is unable to offer oblations to the sacred fire
for three nights, must make amends for the same by performing the
Ashtakapala rites in honour of the northern fire. He who has per-
formed the Darsa and the Paurnamasya rites must make the rectification
with the performance of the Ashtakapala rites in honour of the Patikrit
fire. If the fire of a lying-in room comes in contact with the perpetual
sacred fire, then rectification must be made with the performance of
Ashtakapala rites in honour of the Agniman fire.' "
SECTION CCXXI
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Markandeya continued, "Mudita, the favourite wife of the fire
Swaha, used to live in water. And Swaha who was the regent of the
earth and sky beget in that wife of his a highly sacred fire called
Advanta. There is a tradition amongst learned Brahmanas that this
VANA PARVA 481
this fire is the ruler and inner soul of all creatures. He is worshipful,
resplendent and the lord of all the great Bhutas here. And that fire,
under the name of Grihapati, is ever worshipped at all sacrifices and
conveys all the oblations that are made in this world. That great son
of Swaha— the great Adbhuta fire is the soul of the waters and the
prince and regent of the sky and the lord of everything great. His
(son), the Bharata fire, consumes the dead bodies of all creatures. His
first Kratu is known as Niyata at the performance of the Agnishtoma
sacrifice. That powerful prime fire (Swaha) is always missed by the
gods, because when he 'sees Niyata approaching him he hides himself in
the sea from fear of contamination. Searching for him in every direc-
tion, the gods could not (once) find him out and on beholding Atharvan
the fire said to him, 'O valiant being, do thou carry the oblations for
the gods ! I am disabled from want of strength. Attaining the state
of the red-eyed fire, do thou condescend to do me this favour !'
Having thus advised Atharvan, the fire went away to some other
place. But his place of concealment was divulged by the finny tribe.
Upon them the fire pronounced this course in anger, 'You shall be the
food of all creatures in various ways.1 And then that carrier of obla-
tions spoke unto Atharvan (as before). Though entreated by the
gods, he did not agree to continue carrying their oblations. He then
became insensible and instantly gave up the ghost. And leaving his
meterial body, he entered into the bowels of the earth. Coming into
contract with the earth, he created the different metals. Force and
scent arose from his pus ; the Deodar pine from his bones ; glass from
his phlegm ; the Marakata jewel from his bile ; and the black iron from
his liver. And all the world has been embellished with these three
substances (wood, stone and iron). The clouds were made from his nails,
and corals from his veins. And, O king, various other metals were
produced from his body. Thus leaving his material body, he remained
absorbed in (spiritual) meditation. He was roused by the penance of
Bhrigu and Angiras. The powerful fire thus gratified with penance,
blazed forth intensely. But on beholding the Rishi (Atharvan), he again
sought his watery refuse. At this extinction of the fire, the whole world
was frightened, and sought the protection of Atharvan, and the gods
and others began to worship him. Atharvan rummaged the whole sea
in the presence of all those beings eager with expectation, and finding out
the fire, himself began the work of creation. Thus in olden times the
fire was destroyed and called back to life by the adorable Atharvan.
But now he invariably carries the oblations of all creatures. Living in
the sea and travelling about various countries, he produced the various
fires mentioned in the Vedas.
The river Indus, the five rivers (of the Punjab), the Sone, the
30
482 MAHABHAEATA
Devika, the Saraswati, the Ganga, the Satakumbha, the Sarayu, the
Gandaki, the Charmanwati, the Mahi the Medha, the Medhatithi, the
three rivers Tamravati, the Vetravati, and the Kausiki ; the Tamasa,
the Narmada, the Godavari, the Vena, the Upa vena, the Bhima, the
Vadawa, the Bharati, the Suprayoga, the Kaveri, the Murmura, the
Tungavenna, the Krishna venna and the Kapila, these rivers, O Bharata,
are said to be the mothers of the fires ! The fire called Adbhuta had a
a wife of the name of Priya, and Vibhu was the eldest of his sons by
her. There are as many different kinds of Soma sacrifices as the number
of fires mentioned before. All this race of fires, first-born of the spirit
of Brahma, sprang also from the race of Atri. Atri in his own mind
conceived these sons, desirous of extending the creation. By this act,
the fires came out of his own Brahmic frame. I have thus narrated to
thee the history of the origin of these fires. They are great, resplendent,
and unrivalled in power, and they are the destroyers of darkness. Know
that the powers of those fires are the same as those of the Adbhuta fire
as related in the Vedas. For all these fires are one and same. This
adorable being, the first born fire, must be considered as one. For like
the Jyotishtoma sacrifice he came out of Angiras body in various forms.
I have thus described to thee the history of the great race of Agni
(fires) who when duly worshipped with the various hymns, carry the
oblations of all creatures to the gods.
SECTION CCXXII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'O sinless scion of Kuru's race, I have
described to thee the various branches of the race of Agni. Listen now
to the story of the birth of the intelligent Kartikeya. I shall tell thee of
that wonderful and famous and highly energetic son of the Adbhuta fire
begotten of the wives of the Brahmarshis. In ancient times the gods and
Asuras were very active in destroying one another. And the terrible
Asuuras always succeeded in defeating the gods. And Purandara (Indra)
beholding the great slaughter of his armies by them and anxious to find
out a leader for the celestial host, thought within himself, 1 must find
out a mighty person who observing the ranks of the celestial army shat-
tered by the Danavas will be able to reorganize it with vigour.' He then
repaired to the Manasa mountains and was there deeply absorbed in
thought of nature, when he heard the heart-rending cries of a
woman to the effect, 'May some one come quick and rescue me, and
either indicate a husband for me, or be my husband himself.' Purandara
said to her, 4Do not be afraid, lady!' And having said these words, he
saw Kesin (an Asura) adorned with a crown and mace in hand standing
'
VANA PAKVA 483
even like a hill of metals at a -distance and holding that lady by the
hand. Vasava addressed then that Asura saying, 'Why art thou bent
on behav ing insolently to this lady ? Know that I am the god who
wields the thunderbolt. Refrain thou from doing any violence to this
lady.' To him Kesin replied, 'Do thou, O Sakra, leave her alone. I
desire to possess her. Thinkest thou, O slayer of Paka, that thou shalt
be able to return home with thy life?' With these words Kesin hurled
his mace for slaying Indra. Vasava cut it up in its course with his
thunder-bolt. Then Kesin, furious with rage, hurled a huge mass of
rock at him. Beholding that, he of a hundred sacrifices rent it asunder
with his thunderbolt, and it fell down upon the ground. And Kesin
himself was wounded by that falling mass of rock. Thus sorely afflicted,
he fled leaving the lady behind. And when the Asura was gone, Indra
said to that lady, 'Who and whose wife art thou, O lady with a
beautiful face, and what has brought thee here ?' "
SECTION CCXXIII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"The lady replied, 'I am a daughter of Prajapati (the lord of all
creatures, Brahma) and my name is Devasena. My sister Daityasena
has ere this been ravished by Kesin. We two sisters with our maids
habitually used to come to these Manasa mountains for pleasures with
the permission of Prajapati. And the great Asura Kesin used daily to
pay his court to us. Daityasena, O conqueror of Paka, listened to him,
but I did not. Daityasena was, therefore, taken away by him, but, O
illustrious one, thou hast rescued me with thy might. And now, O lord
of the celestials, I desire that thou shouldst select an invincible husband
for me.' To this Indra replied, 'Thou art a cousin of mine, thy mother
being a sister of my mother Dakshayani, and now I desire to hear thee
relate thine own prowess.' The lady replied, 'O hero with long arms,
I am Avala1 (weak) but my husband must be powerful. And by the
potency of my father's boon, he will be respected by gods and Asuras alike.'
Indra said, 'O blameless creature, I wish to hear from thee, what sort of
power thou wishest thy husband to possess.' The lady replied, 'That
manly and famous and powerful being devoted to Brahma, who is able,
to conquer all the celestials, Asuras, Yakshas, Kinnaras, Uragas, Rakshasas,
and the e vil- minded Daityas and to subdue all the worlds with thee,
shall be my husband.'
"Markandeya continued, 'On hearing her speech, Indra was grieved
and deeply thought within himself, 'There is no husband for this lady,
answering to her own description.' And that god adorned with sun-like
1 Av&la is a common name of women. It means one who has no
vala or strength or power. The word is also used as an adjective.
484 MAHABHABATA
effulgence, then perceived the Sun rising on the Udaya hill, l and the
great Soma (Moon) gliding into the Sun. It being the time of the new
Moon, he of a hundred sacrifices, at the Raudra* moment, observed the
gods and Aswras fighting on the Sunrise hill. And he saw that the morn-
ing twilight was tinged with red clouds. And he also saw that the
abode of Varuna had become blood-red. And he also observed Agni
conveying oblations offered with various hymns by Bhrigu, Angiras, and
others and entering the disc of the Sun. And he further saw the twenty-
four Parvas adorning the Sun, and the terrible Soma also present in
the Sun under such surroundings. And obser v ing this union of the Sun
and the Moon and that fearful conjunction of theirs, Sakra thought
within himself, This terrific conjunction of the Sun and the Moon
forebodeth a fearful battle on the morrow. And the river Sindhu
(Indus) too is flowing with a current of fresh blood and the jackals with
fiery faces are crying to the Sun. This great conjunction is fearful and
full of energy. This union of the Moon (Soma) with the Sun and Agni
is very wonderful. And if Soma giveth birth to a son now, that son may
become the husband of this lady, And Agni also hath similar surround-
ings now, and he too is a god. If he too begetteth a son, that son, may
become the husband of this lady.' With these thoughts that illustrious
celestial repaired to the regions of Brahma, taking Devasenaa with him.
And saluting the Grandsire he said unto him, 'Do thou fix a
renowned warrior as husband of this lady.' Brahma replied, 'O slayer
of Asuras, it shall be as thou hast intended. The issue of that union will
be mighty and powerful accordingly. That powerful being will be the
husband of this lady and the joint leader of thy forces with thee.' Thus
addressed, the lord of the celestials and the lady bowed unto him and
then repaired to the place where those great Brahmanas, the powerful
celestial Rishis, Vasistha and others, lived. And with Indra at their
head, the other gods also, desirous of drinking the Soma beverage,
repaired to the sacrifices of those Rishis to receive their respective
shares of the offerings. Having duly performed the ceremonies with
the bright blazing fire, those great-minded persons offered oblations
to the celestials. And the Adbhuta fire, that carrier of oblations, was
invited with mantras. And coming out of the solar disc, that lordly fire
duly repaired thither, restraining speech. And, O chief of Bharata's
1 According to the Hindus, the sun rises from and sets behind two
hills respectively. He rises from the Udaya or Sun-rise hill and sets behind
the Asta or sun-set hill.
2 Raudra — belonging to Budra, the god of fury, violence, war, &c.
3 Devasena literally means the celestial army. This fable seems to
be an allegorical representation of the attempts made by Indra to procure a
leader for the celestial host.
VANA PABVA 485
race, that fire entering the sacrificial fire that had been ignited and into
which various offerings were made by the Rishis with recitations of
hymns, took them with him and made them over to the dwellers of
heaven. And while returning from that place, he observed the wives of
those high-souled Rishis sleeping at their ease on their beds. And
those ladies had a complexion beautiful like that of an altar of gold,
spotless like moon-beams, resembling fiery flames and looking like blazing
stars. And seeing those wives of the illustrious Brahmanas with eager
eyes, his mind became agitated and he was smitten with their charms.
Restraining his heart he considered it improper for him to be thus
agitated. And he said unto himself, 'The wives of these great Brahma-
nas are chaste and faithful and beyond the reach of other people's
desires. I am filled with desire to possess them. I cannot lawfully cast
my eyes upon them, nor ever touch them when they are not filled with
desire. I shall, therefore, gratify myself daily with only looking at
them by becoming their Garhapatya (house-hold) fire.'
"Markandeya continued, The Adbhuta fire, thus transforming him-
self into a house-hold one, was highly gratified with seeing those gold-
complexioned ladies and touching them with his flames. And influenced
by their charms he dwelt there for a long time, giving them his heart
and filled with an intense love for them. And baffled in all his efforts to
win the hearts of those Brahmana ladies, and his own heart tortured by
love, he repaired to a forest with the certain object of destroying himself.
A little while before, Swaha, the daughter of Daksha, had bestowed her
love on him. The excellent lady had been endeavouring for a long time
to detect his weak moments ; but that blameless lady did not succeed
in finding out any weakness in the calm and collected fire-god. But now
that the god had betaken himself to a forest, actually tortured by the
pangs of love, she thought, 'As I too am distressed with love, I shall
assume the guise of the wives of the seven Rishis, and in that disguise I
shall seek the fire-god so smitten with their charms. This done, he will
be gratified and my desire too will be satisfied.' "
SECTION CCXXIV
(Markandeija-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'Olord of men, the beautiful Siva endow-
ed with great v irtues and an unspotted character was the wife of Angiras
(one of the seven Rishis). That excellent lady (Swaha) at first assuming
the disguise of Siva, sought the presence of Agni unto whom she said,
'O Agni, I am tortured with love for thee. Do thou think it fit to woo
me. And if thou dost not accede to my request, know that I shall
commit self-destruction. I am Siva the wife of Angiras. I have come
486 MAHABHA&ATA
here according to the advice of the wives of the other Rishis, who have
sent me here after due deliberation.'
Agni replied, 'How didst thou know that I was tortured with love
and how could the others, the beloved wives of the seven Rishis, of
whom thou hast spoken, know this ?'
Swaha replied, 'Thou art always a favourite with us, but we are
afraid of thee. Now having read thy mind by well-known signs, they
have sent to thy presence. I have come here to gratify my desire. Be
thou quick, O Agni, to encompass the object of thy desire, my sisters-
in-law are awaiting me. I must return soon.'
Markandeya continued, 'Then Agni, filled with great joy and
delight, married Swaha in the guise of Siva, and that lady joyfully
cohabiting with him, held the semen virile in her hands. And then she
thought within herself that those who would observe her in that disguise
in the forest, would cast an unmerited slur upon the conduct of those
Brahmana ladies in connection with Agni. Therefore, to prevent this,
she should assume the disguise of a bird, and in that state she should
more easily get out of the forest.
Markandeya continued, Then assuming the disguise of a winged
creature, she went out of the forest and reached the White Mountain
begirt with clumps of heath and other plants and trees, and guarded by
strange seven-headed serpents with poison in their very looks, and
abounding with Rakshasas, male and female Pisachas, terrible spirits, and
various kinds of birds and animals. That excellent lady quickly ascend-
ing a peak of those mountains, threw that semen into a golden lake. And
then assuming successively the forms of the wives of the high-souled
seven Rishis, she continued to dally with Agni. But on account of the
great ascetic merit of Arundhati and her devotion to her husband
(Vasishtha), she was unable to assume her form. And, O chief of Kuru's
race, the lady Swaha on the first lunar day threw six times into that lake
the semen of Agni. And thrown there, it produced a male child endowed
with great power. And from the fact of its being regarded by the Rishis
as cast off, the child born therefrom came to be called by the name of
Skanda. And the child had six faces, twelve ears, as many eyes, hands,
and feet, one neck, and one stomach. And it first assumed a form on the
second lunar day, and it grew to the size of a little child on the third.
And the limbs of Guha were developed on the fourth day. And being
surrounded by masses of red clouds flashing forth lightning, it shone
like the Sun rising in the midst of a mass of red clouds. And seizing the
terrific and immense bow which was used by the destroyer of the Asura
Tripura for the destruction of the enemies of the gods, that mighty be-
ing uttered such a terrible roar that the three worlds with their mobile
and immobile divisions became struck with awe. And hearing that sound
VANA PARVA 487
which seemed like the rumbling of a mass of big clouds, the great Nagas,
Chitra and Airavata, were shaken with fear. And seeing them unsteady
that lad shining with sun-like refulgence held them with both his hands.
And with a dart in (another) hand, and with a stout, red-crested, big
cock fast secured in another, that long- armed son of Agni began to sport
about making a terrible noise. And holding an excellent conch-shell
with two of his hands, that mighty being began to blow it to the great
terror of even the most powerful creatures. And striking the air with
two of his hands, and playing about on the hill-top, the mighty Maha-
sena of unrivalled prowess, looked as if he were on the point of devour-
ing the three worlds, and shone like the bright Sun-god at the moment
of his ascension in the heavens. And that being of wonderful prowess
and matchless strength, seated on the top of that hill, looked on with
his numerous faces directed towards the different cardinal points, and
observing various things, he repeated his loud roars. And on hearing
those roars various creatures were prostrate with fear. And frightened
and troubled in mind they sought protection. And all those persons of
various orders who then sought the protection of that god are known as
his powerful Brahmana followers. And rising from his seat, that mighty
god allayed the fears of all those people, and then drawing his bow, he
discharged his arrows in the direction of the White Mountain. And
with those arrows the hill Krauncha, the son of Himavat, was rent
asunder. And that is the reason why swans and vultures now migrate
to the Sumeru mountains. The Krauncha hill, sorely wounded, fell
down uttering fearful groans. And seeing him fallen, the other hills too
began to scream. And that mighty being of unrivalled prowess, hearing
the groans of the afflicted, was not at all moved, but himself uplifting
his mace, yelled forth his war-whoop. And that high-souled being
then hurled his mace of great lustre and quickly rent in twain one of the
peaks of the White Mountain. And the White Mountain being thus
pierced by him was greatly afraid of him and dissociating himself from
the earth fled with the other mountains. And the earth was greatly
afflicted and bereft of her ornaments on all sides. And in this distress,
she went ov er to Skanda and once more shone with all her might. And
the mountains too bowed down to Skanda and came back and stuck into
the earth. And all creatures then celebrated the worship of Skanda on
the fifth day of the lunar month.
SECTION CCXXV
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'When that powerful, high-souled, and
mighty being was born, various kinds of fearful phenomena occurred.
483 MAHABHAEATA
And the nature of males and females, of heat and cold, and of such
other pairs of contraries, was reversed. And the planets, the cardinal
points and the firmaments became radiant with light and the earth began
to rumble very much. And the Rishis even, seeking the welfare of the
world, while they observed all these terrific prodigies on all sides, began
with anxious hearts to restore tranquillity in the universe. And those
who used to live in that Chitraratha forest said, This very miserable
condition of ours hath been brought about by Agni cohabiting with the
six wives of the seven Rishis' Others again who had seen the goddess
assume the disguise of a bird said, 'This evil hath been brought about
by a bird.' No one ever imagined that Swaha was the authoress of that
mischief. But having heard that the (new-born) male child was hers,
she went to Skanda and gradually rev ealed to him the fact that she was
his mother. And those seven Rishis, when they heard that a son of great
power had been born (to them), divorced their six wives with the excep-
tion of the adorable Arundhati, because all the dwellers of that forest
protested that those six persons had been instrumental in bringing forth
the child. Swaha too, O king, said again and again to the seven Rishis,
saying, 'Ye ascetics, this child is mine, your wives are not his mother.'
The great Muni Viswamitra had, after the conclusion of the sacri-
fices of the seven Rishis, followed unseen the god of fire, while the latter
was tortured with lust. He, therefore, knew everything as it happened
and he was the first to seek the protection of Mahasena. And he offered
divine prayers to Mahasena, and all the thirteen auspicious rites apper-
taining to childhood, such as the natal and other ceremonies, were all
performed by the great Muni in respect of that child. And for the good
of the world, he promulgated the virtues of the six-faced Skanda, and
performed ceremonies in honour of the cock, the goddess Sakti, and the
first followers of Skanda. And for this reason he became a great favou-
rite of the celestial youth. That great Muni then informed the seven
Rishis of the transformations of Swaha and told them that their wives
were perfectly innocent. But though thus informed the seven Rishis
abandoned their spouses unconditionally.
Markandeya continued, 'The celestials having heard of the prow-
ess of Skanda, all said to Vasava, 'O Sakra, do thou kill Skanda without
delay for his prowess is unbearable. And if thou dost not exterminate
him, he will conquer the three worlds with ourselv es, and ov erpowering
thee, will himself become the mighty lord of the celestials.' Perplexed
in mind, Sakra replied unto them, 'This child is endowed with great
prowess. He can himself destroy the Creator of the Universe, in battle
putting forth his might. I venture not, therefore, to do away with him.'
To this the gods replied, 'Thou hast no manliness in thee, in that
thou talkest in this manner. Let the great Mothers of the Universe re-
VANA PA&VA 489
pair to-day to Skanda. They can master at will any degree of energy.
Let then kill this child.1 It shall be so.1 — the mothers replied. And then
they went away. But on beholding that he was possessed of great might,
they became dispirited, and considering that he was invincible, they
sought his protection and said unto him, 'Do thou, O mighty being, be-
come our (adopted) son. We are full of affection for thee and desirous
of giving thee suck. Lo, the milk oozes from our breasts !' On hearing
these words, the mighty Mahasena became desirous of sucking their
breasts and he received them with due respect and acceded to their
request. And that mightiest of mighty creatures then beheld his father
Agni come towards him. And that god, who is the doer of all that is
good, was duly honoured by his son, and in company with the Mothers,
he stayed there by the side of Mahasena to tend him. And that lady
amongst the Mothers who was born of Anger1 with a spike in hand kept
watch over Skanda even like a mother guarding her own offspring, and
that irascible red coloured daughter of the Sea, who lived herself
on blood, hugged Mahasena in her breast and nursed him like
a mother. And Agni transforming himself into a trader with a goat's
mouth and followed by numerous children began to gratify that child of
his with toys in that mountain abode of his."
SECTION CCXXVI
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'The planets with their satellites, the
Rishis and the Mothers, Agni and numerous other blazing courtiers and
many other dwellers of 'heaven of terrible mien, waited on Mahasena
along with the Mothers. And the illustrious sovereign of the gods,
desirous of victory but believing success to be doubtful mounted his
elephant Airavata and attended by the other gods advanced towards
Skanda. That mighty being followed by all the celestials was armed with
his thunder-bolt. And with the object of slaying Mahasena, he marched
with terrible celestial army of great splendour, sounding their shrill war-
cry and furnished with various sorts of standards, with warriors encased
in various armour and armed with numerous bows and riding on various
animals. When Mahahasena beheld the gloriously decked Sakra, attired
in his best clothes, advancing with the determination of slaying him, he
(too on his part) advanced to meet that chief of the celestials. O Partha,
the mighty Vasava, the lord of the celestials, then uttered a loud shout
to encourage his warriors and marching rapidly with the view of killing
Agni's son, and praised by Tridasas* and great Rishis,he at length reach -
1 Anger personified is a deity.
2 Another name of gods, so named from their having only three
31
490 MAHABGAEATA
ed the abode of Kartikeya. And then he shouted out with other gods ;
and Guha too in response to this, uttered a fearful war-cry resembling
the roaring of the sea. On hearing that noise, the celestial army behaved
like an agitated sea, and was stunned and fixed to the spot. And that
son of Pavaka (the Fire-god) beholding the gods come near to him with
the object of killing him, was filled with wrath, and gave out rising
flame of fire from within his mouth. And these flames destroyed the
celestial forces struggling on the ground. Their helids, their bodies, their
arms and riding animals were all burnt in that conflagration and they
appeared all on a sudden like stars displaced from their proper spheres.
Thus afflicted, the god renounced all allegiance to the thunder-bolt,
and sought the protection of Pavaka's son ; and thus peace was again
secured. When he was thus forsaken by the gods, Sakra hurled his
thunder-bolt at Skanda. It pierced him on the right side ; and, O great
king, it passed through the body of that high-souled being. And from
being struck with the thunder-bolt, there arose from Skanda's body
another being — a youth with a club in hand, and adorned with a celestial
amulet. And because he was born on account of the piercing of
the thunder-bolt, he was named Visakha. And Indra, when he be-
held that another person looking like the fie*e destroying Fire-god
had came into being was frightened out of his wits and besought the
protection of Skanda, with the palms of his hands joined together (as a
mark of respect). And that excellent being Skanda, bade him renounce
all fear, with his arm. The gods were then transported with joy, and
their hands too struck up.11
SECTION CCXXVII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'Now hear of those terrible and curious-
looking followers of Skanda A number of male children came into being
when Skanda was struck with the thunder-bolt, — those terrific creatures
that steal (spirit away) little children, whether born, or in the womb
and a number of female children too of great strength were born to him.
Those children adopted Visakha as their father. That adorable and
dexterous Bhadrasakha, hav ing a face like that of a goat was at the time
(of the battle) surrounded by all his sons and daughters whom he guarded
carefully in the presence of the great mothers. And for this reason the
inhabitants of this earth call Skanda the father of Kumaras (little
children). Those persons who dflpre to have sons born to them, worship
in their places the powerful Rudra in the form of the Fire-god, and
Uma in the form of Swaha. And by that means they are blessed with
stages of life, — viz., infancy, childhood, a,nd youth — and being e'xempb
from the fourth — old age,
VANA PARVA 491
sons. The daughters begotten by the Fire-god, Tapa, went over to
Skanda, who said to them, 'What can I do for you ?' Those girls replied,
'Do us this favour ; by thy blessing, may we become the good and res-
pected mothers of all the world !' He replied, 'Be it so.' And that
liberal-minded being repeated again and again, 'Ye shall be divided into
Siva andAsiva.'1 And the mothers then departed, having first es-
tablished Skanda's sonship, Kaki, Halima, Malini, Vrinhila, Arya, Palala
and Vaimitra, these were the seven mothers of Sisu. They had a power-
ful, red-eyed, terrific, and very turbulent son named Sisu born by
the blessing of Skanda. He was reputed as the eighth hero, born of the
mothers of Skanda. But he is also known as the ninth, when that being
with the face of a goat, is included. Know fehat the sixth face of Skanda
was like that of a goat. That face, O king, is situated in the middle of
the six, and is regarded constantly by the mother. That head by which
Bhadrasakha created the divine energy, is reputed to be the best of all
his heads. O ruler of men, these virtuous wonderful events happened
on the fifth day of the bright half of the lunar month, and on the sixth,
a very fierce and terrific battle was fought at that place."
SECTION CCXXVIII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
"Markandeya cotinued, 'Skanda was adorned with a golden amulet
and wreath, and wore a crest and a crown of gold ; his eyes were
golden-coloured, and he had a set of sharp teeth ; he was dressed in a
red garment and looked very handsome ; he had a comely appearance, and
was endowed with all good characteristics and was the favourite of the
three worlds. He granted boons (to people who sought them) and was
brave, youthful, and adorned with bright ear-rings. Whilst he was
reposing himself, the goddess of fortune, looking like a lotus and assum
ing a personal embodiment, rendered her allegiance to him. When
he became thus possessed of good fortune, that famous and delicate-
looking creature appeared to all like the moon at its full. And high-
minded Brahmanas worshipped that mighty being, and the Maharshis
( great rishis ) then said as follow to Skanda, 'O thou born of the
golden egg, mayst thou be prosperous and mayst thou become an instru-
ment of good to the universe ! O best of the gods, although thou wast
born only six nights (days) ago, the whole world has owned allegiance to
thee ( within this short time ), and thou hast also allayed their fears.
Therefore do thou become the Indra (lord) of the three worlds and re-
mov e their cause of apprehension.' Skanda replied, 'You gentlemen of
great ascetic wealth, ( tell me ) what Indra does with all three worlds
1 i. e., good and evil spirits.
492 MAHABHAEATA
and how that sovereign of the celestials protects the hosts of gods un-
remittingly.' The Rishis replied, Indra is the giver of strength, power,
children and happiness to all creatures and when propitiated, that
Lord of the celestials bestows on all the objects of their desire. He
destroys the wicked and fulfils the desires of the righteous ; and that
Destroyer of Vala assigns to all creatures their various duties. He offi-
ciates for the sun and the moon in places where there is no sun or moon ;
he even, when occasion requires it, acts for (serves the purposes of) fire,
air, earth, and water. These are the duites of Indra ; his capacities
are immense. Thou too art mighty : therefore great hero, do thou
become our Indra.'
Sakra said, 'O mighty being, do thou make us happy, by becom-
ing our lord. Excellent being, thou art worthy of the honour ; therefore
shall we anoint thee this very day.'
Skanda replied, 'Do thou continue to rule the three worlds with
self-possession, and with thy heart bent on conquest. I shall remain thy
humble servant. I covet not thy sovereignty/
Sakra replied, Thy prowess is unrivalled, O hero, do thou
therefore vanquish the enemies of the gods. People have been struck
with wonder at thy prowess. More specially as I have been bereft of
my prowess, and defeated by thee, now if I were to act as Indra, I should
not command the respect of all creatures, and they would be busy in
bringing about dissensions between us ; and then, my lord, they would
become the partisans of one or other of us. And when they formed
themselves into two distinct factions, war as before would be the result
of that defection. And in that war, thou wouldst undoubtedly defeat
me without difficulty and thyself become the lord of all worlds.'
Skanda replied, 'Thou, O Sakra, art my sovereign, as also of the
three worlds ; mayst thou be prosperous ! Tell me if I can obey any
commands of thine.'
Indra replied, 'At thy bidding, O powerful being, I shall continue
to act as Indra. And if thou hast said this deliberately and in earnest,
then hear me how thou canst gratify thy desire of serving me. Do thou,
O mighty being, take the leadership of the celestial forces accordingly.'
Skanda replied, 'Do thou anoint me as leader, for the destruction
of the Danavas, for the good of the celestials, and for the well-being of
cows and Brahmanas.'
Markandeya continued, "Thus anointed by Indra and all other
gods, and honoured by the Maharshis, he looked grand at the moment.
The golden umbrella"1 held (over his head) looked like a halo of blazing
fire. That famous god, the Conqueror of Tripura, himself fastened the
1 One of the ensigns of royalty irt Hindustan,
VAN A PABVA 493
celestial wreath of gold, of Viswakarma's manufacture, round his neck.
And, O great man and conqueror of thine enemies, that worshipful god
with the emblem of the bull, had gone there previously with Parvati.
He honoured him with a joyous heart. The Fire-god is called Rudra by
Brahmanas, and from this fact Skanda is called the son of Rudra. The
White Mountain was formed from discharges of Rudra' s semen virile and
the sensual indulgences of the Fire-god with the'Krittikas took place on
that same White Mountain. And as Rudra was seen by all the dwellers
of heaven to heap honours on the excellent Guha (Skanda), he was for
that reason reputed as the son of Rudra. This child had his being by
the action of Rudra entering into the constitution of the Fire-god, and
for this reason, Skanda came to be known as the son of Rudra. And, O
Bharata, as Rudra, the Fire-god, Swaha, and the six wives (of the seven
Rishis) were instrumental to the birth of the great god Skanda, Jhe was
for that reason reputed as the son of Rudra.
"That son of Fire-god was clad in a pair of clean red cloths, and
thus he looked grand and resplendent like the Sun peeping forth from
behind a mass of red clouds. And the red cock given to him by the
Fire-god, formed his ensign ; and when perched on the top of his chariot,
it looked like the image of the all-destroying fire. And the presiding
deity of the power which conduces to the v ictory of the god, and which
is the director of the exertions of all creatures, and constitutes their
glory, prop and refuge, advanced before him. And a mysterious charm
entered into his constitution — the charm which manifests its powers on
the battle-field. Beauty, strength, piety, power, might, truthfulness,
rectitude, devotion to Brahmanas, freedom from illusion or perplexity,
protection of followers, destruction of foes, and care of all creatures,
—these, O lord of men, are the inborn virtues of Skanda. Thus anointed
by all the gods, he looked pleased and complacent ; : 1 dressed in his
best style, he looked beautiful like the moon at it- iHl. The much-
esteemed incantation of Vedic hymns, the music of Uic celestial band,
and the songs of gods and Gandharvas then rang on all sides. And sur-
rounded by all the well-dressed Apsaras, and many other gay and happy-
looking Pisachas and hosts of gods, that anointed (by gods) son of Pavaka
disported himself in all his grandeur. To the dwellers of heaven, the
anointed Mahasena, appeared like the Sun rising after extinction of
darkness. And then the celestial forces looking upon him as their
leader, surrounded him on all sides in thousands. That adorabe being
followed by all creatures then assumed their commands, and praised and
honoured by them, he encouraged them in return.
"The Performer of a thousand sacrifices then thought of Devasena,
whom he has rescued before. And considering that this being (Skanda)
was undoubtedly destined to be the husband of this lady by Brahma
494 MAHABHABATA
himself, he had her brought there, dressed her with the best apparel.
And the vanquisher of Vala then said to Skanda, 'O foremost of gods,
this lady was, even before thy. birth, destined to be thy bride by that
Self-existent Being.1 Therefore do thou duly accept her lotus-like
beautiful right hand with invocation of the (marital) hymns/ Thus told,
he duly married her. And Vrihaspati' learned in hymns performed the
necessary prayers and oblations. She who is called Shashthi, Lakshmi,
Asa, Sukhaprada, Sinivali, Kuhu, Saivritti, and Aparajita, is known
among men as Devasena, the wife of Skanda. When Skanda became uni
ted to Devasena in indissoluble bonds of matrimony, then the gods of
prosperity in her own- , personal embodiment began to serve him with
diligence. As Skanda attained celebrity on the fifth lunar day, that day
is called Sripanchami (orthe auspicious fifth day) and as he attained his
object on the sixth, that lunar day is considered to be of great moment."
SECTION CCXXIX
(Markandeya-Samasya"Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, Those six ladies, the wives of the seven
Rishis when they learned that good fortune!! 'had smiled on Mahasena
and that he had been^made leader of the celestial forces,3 repaired to
his camp. Those virtifous ladies^of high religious merit had been dis-
owned by the Rishis. They lost no time in visiting that leader of the
celestial forces and then addressed him thus, 'We, O son, have been cast
out by our god-like husbands, without any cause. Some people spread
the rumour that we gave birth to thee. Believing in the truth -of this
story, they became greatly indignant, and banished us from our sacred
places. It behoves thee now to save us from this infamy. We desire
to adopt thee as our son, so that, O mighty being, eternal bliss may be
secured to us by that favour. Do thou thus repay the obligation thou
owest to us.'
"Skanda replied, 'O ladies of faultless character, do you accord-
ingly become my mothers. I am your son and ye shall attain all the
objects of your desire.*
Markandeya continued, Then Sakra ha v ing expressed a wish to
say something to Skanda, the latter enquired, 'What is it ?' Being told
by Skanda to speak it out, VaS&va said, The lady Abhijit, the younger
sister of Rohini, being jealous of her seniority, has repaired to the woods
to perform austerities. And I am at a loss to find out a substitute for
the fallen star. May good luck attend on thee, do thou consult with
1 Brahma
2 Devasonapati is the original. It may mean either the pati (leader)
of the sena (forces) of devas or the pati (husband) of Devasena.
VANA PARVA 495
Brahma (for the purpose of filling up the room) of this great aster ism.
Dhanishtha and other asterisms were created by Brahma, and Rohini
used to serve the purpose of one such ; and consequently their number
was full. And in accordance with Sakra's advice, Krittika was assigned
a place in the heavens, and that star presided over by Agni shines as if
with seven heads. Vinata also said to Skanda, 'Thou art as a son to me,
and entitled to offer me the funeral cakes (at my funeral obsequies). I
desire, my son, to live with thee always.'
"Skanda replied, 'Be it so, all honour to thee ! Do thou guide me
with a mother's affection, and honoured by thy daughter-in-law, thou
shalt always live with me.'
"Markandeya continued, 'Then the great mothers spoke as follows
to Skanda, 'We have been described by the learned as the mothers of
all creatures. But we desire to be thy mothers, do thou honour us.' "
"Skanda replied, 'Ye are all as mothers to me, and I am your son.
Tell me what I can do to please you.' " t
"The mothers replied, 'The ladies (Brahmi, Maheswari, &c.) were
appointed as mothers of the world in bygone ages. We desire, O great
god, that they be dispossessed of that dignity, and ourselves installed in
their place, and that we, instead of them, be worshipped by the world.
Do thou now restore to us those of our progeny, of whom we have been
deprived, by them on thy account.' "
"Skanda replied, 'Ye shall not recover those that have been once
given away, but I can give you other offspring if ye like.' "
The mothers replied, 'We desire that living with thee and assum-
ing different shapes we be able to eat up the progeny of those mothers
and their guardians. Do thou grant us this favour.' '1
"Skanda said, 'I can grant you progeny, but this topic on which
ye have just now dilated is a very painful one. May ye be prosperous !
All honour to you, ladies, do ye vouchsafe to them your protecting
care.' "
"The mothers replied, 'We shall protect them, O Skanda, as thou
desirest. Mayst thou be prosperous ! But, O mighty being, we desire to
live with thee always.' "
"Skanda replied, 'So long as children of the human kind do not
attain the youthful state in the sixteenth year of their age, ye shall
afflict them with your various forms, and I too shall confer on you a
fierce inexhaustible spirit. And with that ye shall live happily,
worshipped by all.' "
"Markandeya continued, 'And then a fiery powerful being came
out of the body of Skanda for the purpose of devouring the progeny of
mortal beings. He fell down upon the ground, senseless and hungry.
And bidden by Skanda, that genius of evil assumed a terrific form.
496 MAHABHABATA
Skandapasmara is the name by} which it is known among good Brahma-
nas. Vinata is calledrthe terrific Sakuni graha (spirit of evil). She who
is known as Putana Rakshasi by the learned is the graha called Putana ;
that fierce and terrible-looking Rakshasa of a hideous appearance is also
called the pisacha, Sita Putana. That fierce-looking spirit is the cause
of abortion in women. Aditi is also known by the name of Revati ; her
evil spirit is called Raivata, and that terrible graha also afflicts child-
ren. Diti, the mother of the Daityas (Asuras), is also called Muhka-
mandika, and that terrible creature is very fond of the flesh of little
children. Those male and female children, O Kaurava, who are said to
have been begotten by Skanda, are spirit of evil and they destroy the
foetus in the worn1 They (the Kumaras) are known as the husbands of
those very ladle*, ^ud children are seized unawares by these cruel spirits.
And, O kinf. Si a hi who is called the mother of bovine kind by the
wise is best ridden by the evil spirit Sakuni, who in company with her,
devours children on this earth. And Sarama, the mother of dogs, also
habitually kills human beings while still in the womb. She who is the
mother of all trees has her abode in a karanja tree. She grants boons
and has a placid countenance and is always favourably disposed towards
all creatures. Those persons who desire to have children, bow down to
her, who is seated in a karanja tree. These eighteen evil spirits fond of
meat and wine, and others of the same kind, invariably take up their abode
in the lying-in-room for ten days. Kadru introduces herself in a subtle
form into the body of a pregnant woman and there she causes the des-
truction of the foetus, and the mother is made to give birth to a Naga
(serpent). And that mother of the Gandharvas takes away the foetus, and
for this reason, conception in woman turns out to be abortive. The mother
of the Apsaras removes the foetus from the womb, and for this reason
such conceptions are said to be stationary by the learned. The daughter
of the Divinity of the Red Sea is said to have nursed Skanda,— she is
worshipped under the name of Lohitayanion Kadamva trees. Arya acts
the same part among female beings, as Rudra does among male ones.
She is the mother of all children and is distinctly worshipped for their
welfare. These that I have described are the evil spirits presiding over
the destinies of young children, and until children attain their sixteenth
year, these spirits exercise their influence for evil, and after that, for
good. The whole body of male and female spirits that I have now des-
cribed are always denominated by men as the spirits of Skanda. They
are propitiated with burnt offerings, ablutions, unguents, sacrifices and
other offerings, and particularly by the worship of Skanda. And, O
king, when they are honoured and worshipped with due reverence, they
bestow on men whatever is good for them, as also valour and long life.
And now having bowed down to Maheswara, I shall describe the nature
VANA PAEVA 497
of those spirits who influence the destinies of men after they have
attained their sixteenth year.
"The man who beholds gods while sleeping, or in a wakeful state
soon turns mad, and the spirit under whose influence these halucinations
take place is called the celestial spirit. When a person beholds his dead
ancestors while he is seated at ease, or lying in his bed, he soon loses his
reason, and the spirit which causes this illusion of sensible perception,
is called the ancestral spirit. The man who shows disrespect to the
Siddhas and who is cursed by them in return, soon runs mad and the
evil influence by which this is brought about, is called the Siddha spirit.
And the spirit by whose influence a man smells sweet odour, and be-
comes cognisant of various tastes (when there are no odoriferous or
tasteful substances about him) and soon becomes tormented, is called the
Rakshasa spirit. And the spirit by whose action celestial musicians
(Gandharvas) blend their existence into the constitution of a human
being, and make him run mad in no time, is called the Gandharva spirit.
And that evil spirit by whose influence men are always tormented by
Pisachas, is called the Paisacha spirit. When the spirit of Yakshas
enters into the system of a human being by some accident, he loses his
reason immediately, and such a spirit is called the Yaksha spirit. The
man who loses his reason on account of his mind being demoralised with
vices, runs mad in no time, and his illness must be remedied according
to methods prescribed in the Sastras. Men also run mad from per-
plexity, from fear, as also on beholding hideous sights. The remedy lies in
quieting their minds. There are three classes of spirits, some are frolic-
some, some are gluttonous, and some sensual. Until men attain the age
of three score and ten, these evil influences continue to torment them,
and then fever becomes the only evil spirit that afflicts sentient beings.
These evil spirits always avoid those who have subdued their senses,
who are self-restrained, of cleanly habits, god-fearing and free from
laziness and contamination. I have thus described to thee, O king, the
evil spirits that mould the destinies of men. Thou who art devoted to
Maheswara art never troubled by them."
SECTION CCXXX
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva continued)
Markandeya continued, "When Skanda had bestowed these
powers, Swaha appeared to him and said, 'Thou art my natural son, — I
desire that thou shalt grant exquisite happiness to me."
"Skanda replied, 'What sort of happiness dost thou wish to enjoy?'
"Swaha replied, 'O mighty being, I am the favourite daughter of
498 MAHABHABATA
Daksha, by name Swaha ; and from my youthful days I have been in
love with Hutasana ( the Fire-god ) ; but that god, my son, does not
understand my feelings. I desire to live for ever with him (as his wife).'
"Skanda replied, 'From this day, lady, all the oblations that men
of v irtuous character, who swerve not from the path of virtue, will offer
to .their gods or ancestors with incantation of purifying hymns by
Brahnanas, shall always be offered (through Agni) coupled with the
name of Swaha, and thus, excellent lady, wiltthou always live associated
with Agni, the god of fire.'
"Markandeya continued, 'Thus addressed and honoured by Skanda,
Swaha was greatly pleased ; and associated with her husband Pavaka,
(the Fire-god), she honoured him in return.' '
"Then Brahma, the lord of all creatures, said to Mahasena, 'Do
thou go and visit thy father Mahadeva, the conqueror of Tripura.
Rudra coalescing with Agni ( the Fire-god) and Uma with Swaha have
combined to make thee invincible for the well-being of all creatures.
And the semen of the high-souled Rudra cast into the reproductive
organ of Uma was thrown back upon this hill, and hence the twin
Mujika and Minjika came into being. A portion of it fell into the
Blood Sea, another portion, into the rays of the sun, another upon the
earth and thus was it distributed in five portions. Learned men
ought to remember that these thy various and fierce-looking followers
liv ing on the flesh of animals were produced from the semen.' 'Be it so,'
so saying, the high-souled Mahasena with fatherly love, honoured his
father Maheswara."
"Markandeya continued, 'Men who are desirous of acquiring
wealth, should worship those five classes of spirits with the sun flower,
and for allev iation of diseases also worship must be rendered to them.
The twin Mujika and Minjika begotten by Rudra must always be
respected by persons desiring the welfare of little children ; and persons
who desire to have children born to them must always worship those
female spirits who live on human flesh and are produced in trees. Thus
all Pisachas are said to be di v ided into innumerable classes. And now, O
king, listen to the origin of the bells and standards of Skanda. Airavata
(Indra's elephant) is known to have had two bells of the name of Vaija-
yanti, and the keen-witted Sakra had them brought to him, and perso-
nally gave them to Guha. Visakha took one of those bells and Skanda
the other. The standards of both Kartikeya and Visakha were of a red
colour. That mighty god Mahasena was pleased with the toys that had
been given to him by the gods. Surrounded by hosts of gods and Pisachas
and seated on the Golden Mountain, he looked splendid in all the
grandeur of prosperity. And that mountain covered with fine forests,
also looked grand in his companionship, just as the Mandara hill abound-
VANA PAEVA 499
ing with excellent caves shines with the rays of the sun. The White
Mountain was adorned with whole tracts of wood-land covered with
blossoming Santanaka flowers and with forests of Karavira, Parijata,
Jaba and Asoke trees, — as also with wild tracts overgrown with Kadam-
va trees ; and it abounded with herds of celestial deer and flocks of
celestial birds. And the rumbling of clouds serving the purpose of musical
instruments sounded like the murmur of an agitated sea, and celestial
Gandharvas and Apsaras began to dance. And there arose a great sound
of joy from the merriment of all creatures. Thus the whole world with
Indra himself seemed to have been transferred to the White Mountain.
And all the people began to observe Skanda with satisfaction in their
looks, and they did not at all feel tired of doing so."
Markandeya continued, "When that adorable son of the Fire-god
'was anointed as leader of the celestial army, that grand and happy lord,
Hara (Mahadeva) riding with Parvati in a chariot shining with sun-
like refulgence repaired to a place called Bhadravata. His excellent
chariot was drawn by a thousand lions and managed by Kala. They
passed through blank space, and seemed as if they were about to devour
the sky ; and striking terror into the heart of all creatures in the mobile
divisions of the worlds, those maned beasts flitted through the air, utter-
ing fearful growls. And that lord of all animals ( Mahadeva ) seated in
that chariot with Uma, looked like the sun with flames of lightning
illuminating masses of clouds begirt with Indra's bow ( rainbow ). He
was preceded by that adorable Lord of riches riding on the backs of
human beings with his attendant Guhyakas riding in his beautiful car
Pushpaka. And Sakra too riding on his elephant Airavata and accom-
panied by other gods brought up the rear of Mahadeva, the granter of
boons, marching in this way at the head of the celestial army. And
the great Yaksha Amogha with his attendants — the Jambhaka Yakshas
and other Rakshasas decorated with garlands of flowers — obtained a
place in the right wing of his army ; and many gods of wonderful fight-
ing powers in company with the Vasus and the Rudras, also marched
with the right division of his army. And the terrible- looking Yama too
in company with Death marched with him, (followed by hundreds of
terrible diseases) ; and behind him was carried the terrible, sharp-point-
ed, well decorated trident of Siva, called Vijaya. And Varuna, the ador-
able lord of waters with his terrible Pasa,1 and surrounded by numerous
aquatic animals, marched slowly with the trident. And the trident Vijaya
was followed by the Pattisa2 of Rudra guarded by maces, balls, clubs
and other excellent weapons. And the Pattisa, O king, was followed
1 A kind of missile.
2 Another kind of weapon.
500 MAHABHARATA
by the bright umbrella of Rudra and the Kamandalu served by the
Maharshis ; and on it progressed in the company of Bhrigu, Angiras and
others. And behind all these rode Rudra in his white chariot, re-assur-
ing the gods with the exhibition of his powers. And riv ers and lakes
and seas, Apsaras, Eishis, Celestials, Gandharvas and serpents, stars,
planets, and the children of gods, as also many women, followed him in
his train. These handsome-looking ladies proceeded scattering flowers
all around ; and the clouds marched, hav ing made their obeisance to that
god (Mahadeva) armed with the Pinaka bow. And some of them held
a white umbrella ov er his head, and Agni (the Fire god) and Vayu (the
god of winds) busied themselves with two hairy fans (emblems of royal-
ty). And, O king, he was followed by the glorious Indra accompanied
by the Bajarshis, and singing the praise of that god with the emblem of
the bull. And Gauri, Vidya, Gandhari, Kesini, and the lady called Mitra
in company with Savitri, all proceeded in the train of Parvati, as also
all the Vidyas (presiding deities of all branches of knowledge) that were
created by the learned. The Rakshasa spirit who delivers to different
battalions the commands which are implicitly obeyed by Indra and other
gods, advanced in front of the army as standard-bearer. And that
foremost of Rakshasas, by name Pingala, the friend of Rudra, who is
always busy in places where corpses are burnt, and who is agreeable to
all people, marched with them merrily, at one time going ahead of the
army, and falling behind again at another, his movements being uncer-
tain. Virtuous actions are the offerings with which the god Rudra is
worshipped by mortals. He who is also called Siva, the omnipotent god,
armed with the Pinaka bow, is Maheswara. He is worshipped in various
forms
"The son of Krittika, the leader of the celestial army, respectful to
Brahmanas, surrounded by the celestial forces, also followed that lord of
the gods. And then Mahadeva said these weighty words to Mahasena,
'Do thou carefully command the seventh army corps of the celestial
forces.*
"Skanda replied, 'Very well, my lord ! I shall command the
seventh army corps. Now tell me quickly if there is anything else to be
done.'
"Rudra said, Thou shalt always find me in the field of action. By
looking up to me and by devotion to me shalt thou attain great welfare.1
"Markandeya continued, 'With these words Maheswara received
him in his embrace, and then dismissed him. And, O great king, after
the dismissal of Skanda, prodigies of various kinds occurred to disturb
the equanimity of the gods.
"The firmament with the stars was in a blaze, and the whole uni-
verse in a state of utter confusion. The earth quaked and gave forth a
VANA PARVA 501
rumbling sound, and darkness overspread the whole world. Then obser-
ving this terrible catastrophy, Sankara with the esteemable Uma, and
the celestials with the great Maharsliis, were much exercised in mind.
And when they had fallen into this state of confusion, there appeared
before them a fierce and mighty host armed with various weapons, and
looking like a mass of clouds and rocks. Those terrible and countless
bsings, speaking different languages directed their movements towards
the point where Sankara and the celestials stood. They hurled into the
ranks of the celestial army flights of arrows in all directions, masses of
rock, maces, sataghnis, prasas and pariglias. The celestial army was
thrown into a state of confusion by a shower of these tetrible weapons
and their ranks were seen to waver. The Danavas made a great havoc
by cutting up their soldiers, horses, elephants, chariots and arms. And
the celestial troops then seemed as if they were about to turn their
backs upon the enemy. And numbers of them fell, slain by the Asuras,
like large trees in a forest burnt in a conflagration. Those dwellers of
heaven fell with their heads, separated from their bodies, and having
none to lead them in that fearful battle, they were slaughtered by the
enemy. And then the god Purandara (Indra), the slayer of Vala, obser-
ving that they were unsteady and hard-pressed by the Asuras, tried to
rally them with this speech, 'Do not be afraid, ye heroes, may success
attend your efforts 1 Do ye all take up your arms, and resolve upon
manly conduct, and ye will meet with no more misfortune, and defeat
those wicked and terrible-looking Danavas. May ye be successful ! Do
ye fall upon the Danavas with me.'
"The dwellers of heaven were re-assured on hearing this speech
from Sakra ; and under his leadership, they again rushed against the
Danavas. And then the thirty-three crores of gods and all the powerful
Marutas and the Sadhyas with the Vasus returned to the charge. And
the arrows which they angrily discharged against the enemy drew a
large quantity of blood from the bodies of the Daityas and of their horses
and elephants. And those sharp arrows passing through their bodies
fell upon the ground, looking like so many snakes falling from the sides
of a hill. And, O king, the Daityas pierced by those arrows fell fast
on all sides, looking like so many detached masses of clouds. Then the
Danava host, struck with panic at that charge of the celestials on the
field of battle, wavered at that shower of various weapons. Then all
the gods loudly gave vent to their joy, with arms ready to strike ; and
the celestial bands too struck up various airs. Thus took place
that encounter, so fearful to both sides ; for all the battle-field was
covered with blood and strewn with the bodies of both gods and Asuras.
But the gods were soon worsted all on a sudden, and the terrible Dana-
vas again made a great havoc of the celestial army. Then the Asuras,
502 MAHABHABATA
drums struck up and their shrill bugles were sounded ; and the Dana v a
chiefs yelled their terrific war-cry.
"Then a porwerf ul Danava, taking a huge mass of rock in his hands,
came out of that terrible Daitya army. He looked like the sun peering
forth from against a mass of dark clouds. And, O king, the celestials,
beholding that he was about to hurl that mass of rock at them, fled in
confusion. But they were pursued by Mahisha, who hurled that hillock
at them. And, O lord of the world, by the falling of that mass of rock,
ten thousand warriors of the celestial army were crushed to the ground
and breathed their last. And this act of Mahisha struck terror into the
hearts of the gods, and with his attendant Danavas he fell upon them
like a lion attacking a herd of deer. And when Indra and the other
celestials observed that Mahisha was advancing to the charge, they
fled, leaving behind their arms and colours. And Mahisha was greatly
enraged at this, and he quickly advanced towards the chariot of Rudra ;
and reaching near, he seized its pole with his hands. And when Mahisha
in a fit of rage had thus seized the chariot of Rudra, all the Earth began
to groan and the great Bishis lost their senses. And Daityas of huge
proportions, looking like dark clouds, were boisterous with joy, think-
ing that victory was assured to them. And although that adorable god
(Rudra) was in that plight, yet he did not think it worth while to kill
Mahisha in battle ; he remembered that Skanda would deal the death-
blow to that evil-minded Asura. And the fiery Mahisha, contemplating
with satisfaction the prize (the chariot of Rudra) which he had secured,
sounded his war-cry, to the great alarm of the gods and the joy of the
Daityas. And when the gods were in that fearful predicament, the
mighty Mahasena, burning with anger, and looking grand like the Sun
advanced to their rescue. And that lordly being was clad in blazing
red and decked with a wreath of red flowers. And cased in armour of
gold he rode in a gold-coloured chariot bright as the Sun and drawn by
chestnut horses. And at his sight the army of the Daityas was suddenly
dispirited on the field of battle. And, O great king, the mighty
Mahasena discharged a bright Sakti for the destruction of Mahisha.
That missile cut off the head of Mahisha, and he fell upon the ground
and died. And his head massive as a hillock, falling on the ground,
barred the entrance to the country of the Northern Kurus, extending in
length for sixteen yojanas though at present the people of that country
pass easily by that gate.
"It was observed both by the gods and the Danavas that Skanda
hurled his sakti again and again on the field of battle, and that it return-
ed to his hands, after killing thousands of the enemy's forces. And the
terrible Danavas fell in large numbers, by the arrows of the wise Maha-
sena. And then a panic seized them, and the followers of Skanda began
VANA PARVA 503
to slay and eat them up by thousands and drink their blood. And they
joyously exterminated the Danavas in no time, just as the sun destroys
darkness, or as fire destroys a forest, or as the winds drive away the
clouds. And in this manner the famous Skanda defeated all his enemies.
And the gods came to congratulate him, and he, in turn, paid his res-
pects to Maheswara. And that son of Krittika looked grand like the
sun in all the glory of his effulgence. And when the enemy was com-
pletely defeated by Skanda and when Maheswara left the battle-field,
Purandara embraced Mahasena and said to him, 'This Mahisha, who
was made invincible by the favour of Brahma, hath been killed by thee.
O best of warriors, the gods were like grass to him. O strong-limbed
hero, thou hast removed a thorn of the celestials. Thou hast killed in
battle hundreds of Danavas equal in valour to Mahisha who were all
hostile to us, and who used to harass us before. And thy followers too
have devoured them by hundreds. Thou art, O mighty being, invin-
cible in battle like Uma's lord ; and this victory shall be celebrated as
thy first achievement, and thy fame shall be undying in the three worlds.
And, O strong-armed god, all the gods will yield their allegiance to
thee.' Having spoken thus to Mahasena, the husband of Sachi left the
place accompanied by the gods and with the permission of the adorable
three-eyed god (Siva). And Rudra returned to Bhadravata, and the
celestials too returned to their respective abodes. And Rudra spoke,
addressing the gods, 'Ye 'must render allegiance to Skanda just as ye do
unto me.' And that son of the Fire-god, having killed the Danavas
hath conquered the three worlds, in one day, and he hath been wor-
shipped by the great Bishis. The Brahmana who with due attention
readeth this story of the birth of Skanda, attaineth to great prosperity
in this world and the companionship of Skanda hereafter."
Yudhishthira said, "O good and adorable Brahmana, I wish to
know the different names of that high-souled being, by which he is
celebrated throughout the three worlds."
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by the Panda v a in that
assembly of EisJiis, the worshipful Markandeya of high ascetic merit re-
plied, 'Agneya (Son of Agni), Skanda (Cast-off), Diptakirti ( Of blaz-
ing fame), Anamaya (Always hale), Mayuraketu (Peacock- bannered),
Dharmatman (The virtuous-souled), Bhutesa (The lord of all creatures),
Mahishardana (The slayer of Mahisha), Kamajit (The subjugator of
desires), Kamada (The fulfiller of desires), Kanta (The handsome),
Satyavak (The truthful in speech), Bhuvaneswara (The lord of the
universe), Sisu (The child), Sighra (The quick), Suchi (The pure),
Chanda (The fiery), Diptavarna (The bright- complexioned), Subhanana
(Of beautiful face), Amogha (Incapable of being baffled), Anagha
(The sinless), Rudra (The terrible), Priya (The favourite), Chan-
504 MAHABHABATA
dranana (Of face like the moon), Dipta-sasti (The wielder of the
blazing lance), Prasantatman (Of tranquil soul), Bhadrakrit (The doer
of good), Kutamahana (The chamber of even the wicked), Shashthipriya
(True favourite of Shashthi), Pavitra (The holy), Matrivatsala (The
rev erencer of his mother), Kanya-bhartri (The protector of virgins),
Vibhakta (Diffused over the universe), Swahey a (The son of Swaha),
Revati-suta (The child of Revati), Prabhu (The Lord), Neta (The
leader ), Visakha (Reared up by Visakha), Naigameya (Sprung from
the Veda), Suduschara (Difficult of propitiation), Suvrata (Of excellent
vows), Lalita (The beautiful), Valakridanaka-priya (Fond of toys),
Khacharin (The ranger of skies), Brahmacharin (The chaste), Sura (The
brave), Saravanodbhava (Born in a forest of heath), Viswamitra priya
(The favourite of Viswamitra), Devasena-priya (The lover of Devasena),
Vasudeva-priya (The beloved of Vasudeva), and Priya-krit (The doer
of agreeable things)— these are the divine names of Kartikeya. Who-
ever repeateth them, undoubtedly secureth fame, wealth, and salvation."
'Markandeya continued, "O valiant scion of Kuru's race, I shall
now with due devotion pray to that unrivalled, mighty, six-faced, and
valiant Guha who is worshipped by gods and Rishis, enumerating his other
titles of distinction : do thou listen to them : Thou art devoted to
Brahma, begotten of Brahma, and versed in the mysteries of Brahma.
Thou art called Brahmasaya, and thou art the foremost of those who are
possessed of Brahma. Thou art fond of Brahma, thou art austere like the
Brahmanas and art v ersed in the great mystery of Brahma and the leader
of the Brahmanas. Thou art Swaha, thou art Swadha, and thou art the
holiest of the holy, and art invoked in hymns and celebrated as the six-
flamed fire. Thou art the year, thou art the six seasons, thou art the
months, the (lunar) half-months, the(solar) declinations, and the cardi-
nal points of space. Thou art lotus-eyed. Thou art possessed of a lily-
like face. Thou hast a thousand faces and a thousand arms. Thou art
the ruler of the universe, thou art the great Oblation, and thou art the
animating spirit of all the gods and the Asuras. Thou art the great
leader of armies. Thou art Prachanda (furious \ thou art the Lord, and
thou art the great master and the conqueror of thine enemies. Thou
art Sahasrabhu ( multiform), Sahasratusti ( a thousand times content),
Sahasrabhuk (devourer of everything), and Sahasrapad (of a thousand
legs), and thou art the earth itself. Thou art possessed of infinite forms
and thousand heads and great strength.* According to thine own inclina-
tions thou hast appeared as the son of Ganga, Swaha, Mahi, or Krittika.
O six-faced god, thou dost play with the cock and assume different forms
according to thy will. Thou art Daksha, Soma, the Maruta, Dharma,
Vayu, the prince of mountains, and Indra, for all time. Thou art mighty,
the most eternal of all eternal things, and the lord of all lords. Thou art
VANA PAKVA 505
the progenitor of Truth, the destroyer of Diti's progeny (Asuras), and
the great conqueror of the enemies of the celestials. Thou art the perso-
nation of virtue and being thyself vast and minute, thou art acquainted
with the highest and lowest points of virtuous acts, and the mysteries
of Brahma. O foremost of all gods and high-souled lord of the Universe,
this whole creation is over-spread with thy energy ! I have thus prayed
to thee according to the best of my power. I salute thee who art possess-
ed of twelve eyes and many hands. Thy remaining attributes transcend
my powers of comprehension I'
The Brahmana who with due attention readeth this story of the
birth of Skanda, or relateth it unto Brahmanas, or hears it narrated by
regenerate men, attaineth to wealth, long life, fame, children, as also
victory, prosperity and contentment, and the companionship of Skanda."
SECTION CCXXXI
(Draupadi-Satyabhama Samvada)
Vaisampayana said, "After those Brahmanas and the illustrious
sons of Pandu had taken their seats, Draupadi and Satyabhama entered
the hermitage. And with hearts full of joy the two ladies laughed
merrily and seated themselves at their ease. And, O king, those ladies,
who always spake sweetly to each other, having met after a long time,
began to talk upon various delightful topics arising out of the stories of
the Kurus and the Yadus. And the slender-waisted Satyabhama, the
favourite wife of Krishna and the daughter of Satrajit, then asked
Draupadi in private, saying, 'By what behaviour is it, O daughter of
Drupada, that thou art able to rule the sons of Pandu — those heroes
endued with strength and beauty and like unto the Lokapalas them-
selves ? Beautiful lady, how is it that they are so obedient to thee and
are never angry with thee ? Without doubt the sons of Pandu, O thou
of lovely features, are ever submissive to thee and watchful to do thy
bidding ! Tell me, O lady, the reason of this. Is it practice of vows,
or asceticism, or incantation or drug at the time of the bath (in season)
or the efficacy of science, or the influence of youthful appearance, or
the recitation of particular formulae, or Homa, or collyrium and other
medicaments ? Tell me now, O princess of Panchala, of that blessed
and auspicious thing by which, O Krishna, Krishna may ever be obedient
to me."
"When the celebrated Satyabhama, having said thi?, ceased, the
chaste and blessed daugther of Drupada answered her, saying, 'Thou
askedest me, O Satyabhama, of the practices of women that are wicked.
How can I answer thee, O lady, about the cause that is pursued by
wicked females ? It doth not become thee, lady, to pursue the ques-
506 MAHABHABATA
tions, or doubt me, after this, for thou art endued with intelligence and
art the favoutite wife of Krishna. When the husband learns that his
wife is addicted to incantations and drugs, from that hour he beginneth
to dread her like a serpent ensconced in his sleeping chamber. And can
a man that is troubled with fear have peace, and how can one that hath
no peace have happiness ? A husband can never be made obedient by
his wife's incantations. We hear of painful diseases being transmitted
by enemies. Indeed, they that desire to slay others, send poison in the
shape of customary gifts, so that the man that taketh the powders so
sent, by tongue or skin, is, without doubt, speedily deprived of life.
Women have sometimes caused dropsy and leprosy, decrepitued and
impotence and idiocy and blindness and deafness in men. These wicked
women, ever treading in the path of sin, do sometimes (by these means)
injure their husbands. But the wife should never do the least injury to
her lord. Hear now, O illustrious lady, of the behaviour I adopt
towards the high-souled sons of Pandu. Keeping aside vanity, and
controlling desire and wrath, I always serve with devotion the sons of
Pandu with their wives. Restraining jealousy, with deep devotion of
heart, without a sense of degradation at the services I perform, I wait
upon my husbands. Ever fearing to utter what is evil or false, or to
look or sit or walk with impropriety, or cast glances indicative of the
feelings of the heart, do I serve the sons of Pritha — those mighty war-
riors blazing like the sun or fire, and handsome as the moon, those endued
with fierce energy and prowess, and capable of slaying their foes by a
glance of the eye. Celestial, or man, or Gandharva, young or decked
with ornaments, wealthy or comely of person, none else my heart liketh.
I never bathe or eat or sleep till he that is my husband hath bathed or
eaten or slept, — till, in fact, our attendants have bathed, eaten, or slept.
Whether returning from the field, the forest, or the town, hastily rising
up I always salute my husband with water and a seat. I always keep
the house and all household articles and the food that is to be taken
well-ordered and clean. Carefully do I keep the rice, and serve the food
at the proper time. I never indulge in angry and fretful speech, and
never imitate women that are wicked. Keeping idleness at distance
I always do what is agreeable. I never laugh except at a jest, and never
stay for any length of time at the house-gate. I never stay long in
places for answering calls of nature, nor in pleasure-gardens attached to
the house. I always refrain from laughing loudly and indulging in high
passion, and from everything that may give offence. Indeed, O Satya-
bhama, I always am engaged in waiting upon my lords. A separation
from my lords is never agreeable to me. When my husband leaveth
home for the sake of any relative, then renouncing flowers and fragrant
paste of every kind, I begin to undergo penances. Whatever my husband
VAN A PARVA 507
drinketh not, whatever my husband eatcth not, whatever my husband
enjoyeth not, I ever renounce. O beautiful lady, decked in ornaments
and ever controlled by the instruction imparted to me, I always devoted-
ly seek the good of my lord. Those duties that my mother-in-law had
told me of in respect of relatives, as also the duties of alms-giving, of
offering worship to the gods, of oblations to the diseased, of boiling food
in pots on auspicious days for offer to ancestors and guests of reverence
and service to those that deserve our regards, and all else that is known
to me, I always discharge day and night, without idleness of any kind.
Having with my whole heart recourse to humility and approved rules
I serve my meek and truthful lords ever observant of virtue, regarding
them as poisonous snakes capable of being excited at a trifle. I think
that to be eternal virtue for women which is based upon a regard for
the husband. The husband is the wife's god, and he is her refuge.
Indeed, there is no other refuge for her. How can, then, the wife do
the least injury to her lord ? I never, in sleeping or eating or adorning
my person, act against the wishes of my lord, and always guided by my
husbands, I never speak ill of my mother-in-law. O blessed lady, my
husbands have become obedient to me in consequence of my diligence,
my alacrity, and the humility with which I serve superiors. Personally
do I wait every day with food and drink and clothes upon the revered
and truthful Kunti — that mother of heroes. Never do I show any
preference for myself over her in matters of food and attire, and never
do I reprove in words that princess equal unto the Earth herself in
forgiveness. Formerly, eight thousand Brahmanas were daily fed in
the palace of Yudhishthira from off plates of gold. And eighty thousand
Brahmanas also of the Snataka sect leading domestic lives were enter-
tained by Yudhishthira with thirty serving- maids assigned to each.
Besides these, ten thousand yatis with the vital seed drawn up, had their
pure food carried unto them in plates of gold. All these Brahmanas that
were the utterers of the Veda, I used to worship duly with food, drink,
?~id raiment taken from stores only after a portion thereof had been
dedicated to the Viswadeva.1 The illustrious son of Kunti had a
hundred thousand well-dressed serving-maids with bracelets on arms
and golden ornaments on necks, and decked with costly garlands and
wreaths and gold in profusion, and sprinkled with sandal paste. And
adorned with jewels and gold they were all skilled in singing and
1 The word in the text is "Agrahara," which, as Nilakantha explains,
means here, "That which is first taken from a heap after the dedication of
a portion to the "Viswadevas." What Draupadi means to say is, that she
always took care to feed those Brahmanas with food "first" taken from
the stores, without, in fact, having taken anything therefrom for the use
of anybody else.
508 MAHABHARATA
dancing. O lady, I knew the names and features of all those girls, as
also what they are and what they were, and wnat they did not. Kunti's
son of great intelligence had also a hundred thousand maid- servants
who daily used to feed guests, with plates of gold in their hands. And
while Yudhishthira lived in Indraprastha a hundred thousand horses
and a hundred thousand elephants used to follow in his train. These were
the possessions of Yudhishthira while he ruled the earth. It was I
however, O lady, who regulated their number and framed the rules to
be observed in respect of them ; arid it was I who had to listen to all
complaints about them. Indeed, I knew everything about what the
maid-servants of the palace and other classes of attendants, even the
cow-herds and the shepherds of the royal establishment, did or did not.
O blessed and illustrious lady, it was I alone amongst the Pandavas who
knew the income and expenditure of the king and what their whole
wealth was. And those bulls among the Bharatas, throwing upon me
the burden of looking after all those that were to be fed by them,
would, O thou of handsome face, pay their court to me. And this load,
so heavy and incapable of being borne by persons of evil heart, I used
to bear day and night, sacrificing my ease, and all the while affectionate-
ly devoted to them. And while my husbands were engaged in the
pursuit of virtue, I only supervised their treasury inexhaustible like the
ever-filled receptacle of Varuna. Day and night bearing hunger and
thirst, I used to serve the Kuru princes, so that my nights and days
were equal to me. I used to wake up first and go to bed last. This, O
Satyabhama, hath ever been my charm for making my husbands obe-
dient to me ! This great art hath ev er been known to me for making
my husbands obedient to me. Never have I practised the charms of
wicked women, nor do I ever wish to practise them.1'
Vaisampayama continued, "Hearing those words of virtuous
import uttered by Krishna, Satyabhama, having first reverenced the
virtuous princess of Panchala, answered saying, 'O princess of
Panchala, I have been guilty. O daughter of Yajnasena, forgive me !
Among friends, conversations in jest arise naturally, and without
premeditation.' '
SECTION CCXXXII
(Draupadi-Satyabhama Samvada Parva continued )
"Draupadi said, 1 shall now indicate to thee, for attracting the heart
of thy husbands a way that is free from deceit. By adopting it duly, dear
friend, thou will be able to draw away thy lord from other females. In
all the worlds, including that of the celestials, there is no god equal, O
Satyabhama, unto the husband. When he is gratified with thee, thou
VANA PARVA 509
mayst have (from thy husband) every object of desire ; when he is
angry, all these may be lost. It is from her husband that the wife obtain-
eth offspring and various articles of enjoyment. It is from thy husband
that thou mayst have handsome beds and seats, and robes and
garlands, and perfumes, and great fame, and heaven itself hereafter.
Ona cannot obtain happiness here by means that are easy. Indeed, the
woman that is chaste, obtains weal with woe. Always adore Krishna,
therefore, with friendship and love physical sufferings. And do thou
also act in a way, by offering handsome seats and excellent garlands and
various perfumes and prompt service, that he may be devoted to thee,
thinking, 'I am truly loved by her /' Hearing the voice of thy lord at the
gate, rise thou up from thy seat and stay in readiness within the room.
And as soon as thou seest him enter thy chamber, worship him by
promptly offering him a seat and water to wash his feet. And even when
he commands a maid-servant to do anything, get thou up and do it thy-
self. Let Krishna understand this temper of thy mind and know that
thou adorest him with all thy heart. And, O Satyabhama, whatever
thy lord speaketh before thee, do not blab of it even if it may not
deserve concealment,— for if any of thy co-wives were to speak of it
unto Vasudeva, he might be irritated with thee. Feed thou by every
means in thy power those that are dear and devoted to thy lord and
always seek his good. Thou shouldst, (however, always keep thyself
aloof from those that are hostile to and against thy lord and seek to do
him injury, as also from those that are addicted to deceit. Foregoing all
excitement and carelessness in the presence of men, conceal thy inclina-
tions by observing silence, and thou shouldst not stay or converse in
private even with thy sons, Pradyumna and Samva. Thou shouldst
form attachments with only such females as are high-born and sinless and
devoted to their lords, and thou shouldst always shun women that are
wrathful, addicted to drinks, gluttonous, thsivish, wicked and fickle.
Behaviour such as this is reputable and productive of prosperity ; and
while it is capable of neutralising hostility, it also leadeth to heaven.
Therefore, worship thou thy husband, decking thyself in costly garlands
and ornaments and smearing thyself with unguents and excellent
perfumes.' '
SECTION CCXXXIII
(Draupddi- Satyabhama Samvada Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Then Kesava, the slayer of Madhu, also
called Janardana, having conversed on various agreeable themes with
the illustrious sons of Pandu and with those Brahmanas that were
headed by Markandeya and having bid them farewell, mounted his
510 MAHABHABA1A
car and called for Satyabhama. And Satyabhama then, having embraced
the daughter of Drupada, addressed her in these cordial words
expressive of her feelings towards her : 'O Krishna, let there be no
anxiety, no grief, for thee ! Thou hast no cause to pass thy nights in
sleeplessness, for thou wilt surely obtain back the earth subjugated by
thy hnsbands, who are all equal unto the gods. O thou of black eyes,
women endued with such disposition and possessed of such auspicious
marks, can never suffer misfortune long. It hath been heard by me
that thou shalt, with thy husbands, certainly enjoy this earth peacefully
and freed from all thorns ! And, O daughter of Drupada, thou shalt
certainly behold the earth ruled by Yudhishthira after the sons of
Dhritarashtra have been slain and the deeds of their hostility avenged !
Thou wilt soon behold those wives of the Kurus, who, deprived of sense
by pride, laughed at thee while on thy way to exile, themselves reduced
to a state of helplessness and despair ! Know them all, O Krishna,
that did thee any injury while thou wert afflicted, to have already
gone to the abode of Yama, Thy brave sons, Prativindhya by
Yudhishthira and Sutasoma by Bhima, and Srutakarman by Arjuna,
and Satanika by Nakula, and Srutasena begot by Sahadeva, are well
and have become skilled in weapons. Like Abhimanyu they are all
staying at Dwaravati, delighted with the place. And Subhadra
also, cheerfully and with her whole soul, looketh after them like
thee, and like thee joyeth in them and deriveth much happiness
from them. Indeed, she giieveth in their griefs and joyeth in their
joys. And the mother of Pradyumna also loveth them with her
whole soul. And Kesava with his sons Bhanu and others watcheth
over them with especial affection. And my mother-in-law is ever
attentive in feeding and clothing them. And the Andhakas and
Vrishnis, including Rama and others, regard them with affection. And,
O beautiful lady, their affection for thy sons is equal unto what they
feel for Pradyumna.'
"Having said these agreeable and truthful and cordial words,
Satyabhama desired to go to Vasudeva's car. And the wife of Krishna
then walked round the queen of the Pandavas. And having done so
the beautiful Satyabhama mounted the car of Krishna. And the chief
of the Yadavas, comforting Draupadi with a smile and causing the
Pandavas to return, set out for his own city, with swift horses (yoked
unto his car)."
SECTION CCXXXTV
(Ghosha-yatra Parva)
Janamejaya said, "While those foremost of men — the sons of Pritha
—were passing their days in the forest exposed to the inclemencies of
the winter, the summer, the wind and the sun, what did they do,
O Brahmana, after they had reached the lake and woods going by the
name of Dwaita ?"
Vaisampayana said, " After the sons of Pandu had arrived at that
lake, they chose a residence that was removed from the habitations of
men. And they began to roam through delightful woods and ev er
charming mountains and picturesque river- valleys. And after they had
taken up their residence there, many venerable ascetics endued with
Vedic lore often came to see them. And those foremost of men always
received those Veda-knowing Bishis with great respect. And one day
there came unto the Kaurava princes a certain Brahmana who was well-
known on earth for his powers of speech. And having conversed with
the Pandavas for a while, he went away as pleased him to the court of
the royal son of Vichitravirya. Received with respect by [that chief
of the Kurus, the old king, the Brahmana took his seat ; and asked by
the monarch he began to talk of the sons of Dharma, Pa v ana, Indra and of
the twins, all of whom having fallen into severe misery, had become
emaciated and reduced owing to exposure to wind and sun. And that
Brahmana also talked of Krishna who was overwhelmed with suffering
and who then had bscome perfectly helpless, although she had heroes
for her lords. And hearing the words of that Brahmana, the royal son
of Vichitravirya became afflicted with grief, at the thought of those
princes of royal lineage then swimming in a river of sorrow. His inmost
soul afflicted with sorrow and trembling all over with sighs, he quieted
himself with a great effort, remembering that everything had arisen
from his own fault. And the monarch said, 'Alas, how is it that
Yudhishthira who is the eldest of my sons, who is truthful and pious
and virtuous in his behaviour, who hath not a foe, who had formerly
slept on beds made of soft Eanku skins, sleepeth now on the bare
ground ! Alas, wakened formerly by Sutas and Magadhas and other
singers with his praises, melodiously recited every morning, that prince
of the Kuru race, equal unto Indra himself, is now waked from the bare
ground towards the small hours of the night by a multitude of birds !
How doth Vrikodara, reduced by exposure to wind and sun and filled
with wrath, sleep, in the presence of the princess of Panchala, on the
bare ground, unfit as he is to suffer such lot ! Perhaps also, the
intelligent Arjuna, who is incapable of bearing pain, and who, though
obedient to the will of Yudhishthira, yet feeleth himself to be pierced
over all by the remembrance of his wrongs, sleepeth not in the night !
512 MAHABHAEATA
Beholding the twins and Krishna and Yuhishthira and Bhima plunged
in misery, Arjuna without doubt, sigheth like a serpent of fierce energy
and sleepeth not from wrath in the night ! The twins also, who are
even like a couple of blessed celestials in heaven sunk in woe though
deserving of bliss, without doubt pass their nights in restless wakeful-
ness, restrained (from avenging their wrongs) by virtue and truth !
The mighty son of the Wind -god, who is equal to the Wind-god
himself in strength, without doubt, sigheth and restraineth his wrath,
being tied through his elder brother in the bonds of truth ! Superior in
battle to all warriors, he now lieth quiet on the ground, restrained by
virtue and truth, and burning to slay my children, he bideth his time.
The cruel words that Dussasana spoke after Yudhishthira had been
deceitfully defeated at dice, have sunk deep into Vrikodara's heart, and
are consuming him, like a burning bundle of straw consuming a fagot of
dry wood ! The son of Dharma never acteth sinfully ; Dhananjaya also
always obeyeth him ; but Bhima's wrath, in consequence of a life of
exile, is increasing like a conflagration assisted by the wind ! That hero,
burning with rage such as that, squeezeth his hands and breatheth hot
and fierce sighs, as if consuming therewith my sons and grandsons !
The wielder of the Gandiva and Vrikodara,when angry, are like Yama
and Kala themselves ; scattering their shafts, which are like unto
thunder- bolts, they exterminate in battle the ranks of the enemy. Alas
Duryodhana, and Sakuni, and the Suta's son, and Dussasana also of
wicked soul, in robbing the Pandavas of their kingdom by means of dice,
seem to behold the honey alone without marking the terrible ruin. A
man having acted rightly or wrongly, expecteth the fruit of those acts.
The fruit, however, confounding him, paralyses him fully. How can
man, thereof, have salvation ? If the soil is properly tilled, and the
seed sown therein, and if the god (of rain) showereth in season, still the
crop may not grow. This is what we often hear. Indeed, how could
this saying be true unless, as I think, it be that everything here is
dependent on Destiny ? The gambler Sakuni hath behaved deceitfully
towards the son of Pandu, who ever acteth honestly. From affection
for my wicked sons I also have acted similarly. Alas, it is owing to this
that the hour of destruction hath come for the Kurus ! Oh, perhaps,
what is inevitable must happen ! The wind, impelled or not, will move.
The woman that conceives will bring forth. Darkness will be dispelled
at dawn, and day disappear at evening ! Whatever may be earned by
us or others, whether people spend it or not, when the time cometh,
those possessions of ours do bring on misery. Why then do people
become so anxious about earning wealth ? If, indeed, what is acquired
is the result of fate, then should it be protected so that it may not be
divided, nor lost little by little, nor permitted to flow out at once, for if
VANA PARVA 513
unprotected, it may break into a hundred fragments. But whatever
the character of our possessions, our acts in the world are never lost.
Behold what the energy of Arjuna is, who went into the abode of Indra
from the woods ! Having mastered the four kinds of celestial weapons
he hath come back into this world ! What man is there who, having
gone to heaven in his human form, wisheth to come back ? This would
never have been but because he seeth innumerable Kurus to be at the
point of death, afflicted by Time ! The bowman is Arjuna, capable of
wielding the bow with his left hand as well ! The bow he wieldeth is
the Gandiva of fierce impetus. He hath, besides, those celestial weapons
of his ! Who is there that would bear the energy of these three ?'
"Hearing these words of the monarch, the son of Suvala, going
unto Duryodhana, who was then sitting with Kama, told them every-
thing in private. And Duryodhana, though possessed of little sense,
was filled with grief at what he heard."
SECTION CCXXXV
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Hearing those words of Dhritarashtra,
Sakuni, when the opportunity presented itself, aided by Kama, spoke
unto Duryodhana these words, 'Having exiled the heroic Pandavas by
thy own prowess, O Bharata, rule thou this earth without a rival, like
the slayer of Samvara ruling the heaven ! O monarch, the kings of the
east, the south, the west, and the north, have all been made tributory to
thee ! O lord of earth, that blazing Prosperity which had before paid
her court to the sons of Pandu, hath now been acquired by thee along
with thy brothers ! That blazing Prosperity, O king, which we not many
days ago saw with heavy hearts in Yudhishthira at Indraprastha, is to-
day seen by us to be owned by thee, she having, O mighty-armed
monarch, been snatched by thee from the royal Yudhishthira by force
of intellect alone. O slayer of hostile heroes, all the kings of the earth
now living in subjection to thee, await thy commands, as they did before
under Yudhishthira, awaiting his. O monarch, the goddess Earth with
her boundless extent with girth of seas, with her mountains and forests,
and towns and cities and mines, and decked with woodlands and hills is
now thine ! Adored by the Brahmanas and worshipped by the kings,
thou blazest forth, O king, in consequence of thy prowess, like the Sun
among the gods in heaven ! Surrounded by the Kurus, O king, like Yama
by the Rudra, or Vasava by the Maruts, thou shinest, O monarch, like
the Moon among the stars ! Let us, therefore, O king, go and look at
the sons of Pandu — them who are now divested of prosperity, them who
never obeyed commands, them who never owed subjection! It hath
34
514 MAHABHAEATA
been heard by us, O monarch, that the Pandavas are now living on the
banks of the lake called Dwaitavana, with a multitude of Brahmanas,
having the wilderness for their home. Go thither, O king, in all thy
prosperity, scorching the son of Pandu with a sight of thy glory, like the
Sun scorching everything with his hot rays ! Thyself a sovereign and
they divested of sovereignty, thyself in prosperity and they divested of
it, thyself possessing affluence and they in poverty, behold now, O king,
the sons of Pandu. Let the sons of Pandu behold thee like Yayati, the
son of Nahusha, accompanied by a large train of followers and enjoying
bliss that is great. O king, that blazing Prosperity which is seen by both
one's friends and foes, is regarded as well- bestowed ! What happiness
can be more complete than that which he enjoyeth who while himself in
prosperity, looketh upon his foes in adversity, like a person on the hill-
top looking down upon another crawling on the earth ? O tiger among
kings, the happiness that one derives from beholding his foes in grief, is
greater than what one may derive from the acquisition of offering or
wealth or kingdom ! What happiness will not be his who, himself in
affluence, will cast his eyes on Dhananjaya attired in barks and deer-
skins ? Let thy wife dressed in costly robes look at the woeful Krishna
clad in barks and deer-skins, and enhance the latter' s grief ! Let the
daughter of Drupada reproach herself and her life, divested as she is of
wealth, for the sorrow that she will feel upon beholding thy wife decked
in ornaments will be far greater than what she had felt in the midst of
the assembly (when Dussasana had dragged her there) !"
Vaisampayana continued, "Hav ing thus spoken unto the king,
Kama and Sakuni both remained silent, O Janamejaya, after their dis-
course was over."
SECTION CCXXXVI
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Having heard these words of Karna, king
Duryodhana became highly pleased. Soon after, however, the prince
became melancholy and addressing the speaker said, 'What thou tellest
me, O Karna, is always before my mind. I shall not, however, obtain
permission to repair to the place where the Pandavas are residing. King
Dhritarashtra is always grieving for those heroes. Indeed, the king
regarded the sons of Pandu to have become more powerful than before
in consequence of their ascetic austerities. Or, if the king understands
our motives, he will never, having regard to the future, grant us per-
mission, for, O thou of great effulgence, we can have no other business
in the woods of Dwaitavana than the destruction of the Pandavas in
exile ! Thou knowest the words that Kshatri spoke to me, to thyself,
VANA PABVA 515
and to the son of Suvala, at the time of the match at dice ! Reflecting
upon all those words as also upon all those lamentations (that he and others
indulged in), I cannot make up my mind as to whether I should or
should not go ! I shall certainly be highly pleased if I cast my eyes on
Bhima and Phalguna passing their days in pain with Krishna in the
woods. The joy that I may feel in obtaining the sovereignty of the
entire earth is nothing to that which will be mine upon beholding the
sons of Pandu attired in barks of trees and deer-skins. What joy can
be greater, O Kama, that will be mine upon beholding the daughter of
Drupada dressed in red rags in the woods ? If king Yudhishthira and
Bhima, the sons of Pandu, behold me graced with great affluence, then
only shall I have attained the great end of my life ! I do not, however,
see the means by which I may repair to those woods, by which, in fact,
I may obtain the king's permission to go thither ! Contrive thou, there-
fore, some skilful plan, with Suvala's son and Dussasana, by which we
may go to those woods ! I also, making up my mind today as to whether
I should go or not, approach the presence of the king tomorrow. And
when I shall be sitting with Bhishma — that best of the Kurus — thou
wilt, with Sakuni propose the pretext which thou mayst hav e contriv ed.
Hearing then the words of Bhishma and of the king on the subject of
our journey, I will settle everything beseeching our grandfather.
"Saying ; 'So be it,' they then all went away to their respective
quarters. And as soon as the night had passed away, Kama came to the
king. And coming to him, Kama smilingly spoke unto Duryodhana,
saying, 'A plan hath been contrived by me. Listen to it, O lord of
men ! Our herds are now waiting in the woods of Diuaitavana in expect-
tation of thee ! Without doubt, we may all go there under the pretext
of supervising our cattle stations, for, O monarch, it is proper that kings
should frequently repair to their cattle stations. If this be the motive
put forth, thy father, O prince, will certainly grant thee permission !'
And while Duryodhana and Kama were thus conversing laughingly,
Sakuni addressed them and said, 'This plan, free from difficulties, was
what I also saw for going thither ! The king will certainly grant us
permission, or even send us thither of his own accord. Our herds are
now all waiting in the woods of Dwaitavana expecting thee. Without
doubt, we may all go there under the pretext of supervising our cattle-
stations f
"They then all three laughed together, and gave their hands unto
one another. And having arrived at that conclusion, they went to see
the chief of Kurus."
SECTION CCXXXVII
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "They then all saw king Dhritarashtra, O
Janamejaya, and having seen him, enquired after his welfare, and were,
in return, asked about their welfare. Then a cow-herd named Samanga,
who had been instructed beforehand by them; approaching the king,
spoke unto him of the cattle. Then the son of Radha and Sakuni, O
king, addressing Dhritarashtra, that foremost of monarchs, said, 4O Kau-
rava, our cattle-stations are now in a delightful place. The time for
their tale as also for marking the calves hath come. And, O manarch,
this also is an excellent season for thy son to go ahunting ! It behov eth
thee, therefore, to grant permission to Duryodhana to go thither.'
"Dhritarashtra replied, 'The chase of the deer, as also the exami-
nation of cattle, is very proper, O child ! I think, indeed, that the
herdsmen are not to be trusted. But we have heard that those tigers
among men, the Pandavas, are now staying in the vicinity of those cattle
stations. I think, therefore, ye should not go thither yourselves ! Defeat-
ed by deceitful means they are now living in the deep forest in great
suffering. O Radheya, they are mighty warriors and naturally able, they
are now devoted to ascetic austerities. King Yudhishthira will not
suffer his wrath to be awakened, but Bhimasena is naturally passionate.
The daughter of Yajnasena is energy's self. Full of pride and folly, ye
are certain to give offence. Endued with ascetic merit she will certainly
consume you, or perhaps, those heroes, armed with swords and
weapons ! Nor, if from force of numbers, ye seek to injure them in any
respect, that will be a highly improper act, although, as I think, ye will
never be able to succeed The mighty-armed- Dhananjaya hath returned
thence to the forest. While unaccomplished in arms, Vivatsu had sub-
jugated the whole earth before. A mighty warrior as he is and accom-
plished in arms now, will he not be able to slay you all ? Or, if in
obedience to my words, ye behave carefully having repaired thither, ye
will not be able to liv e happily there in consequence of the anxiety ye
will feel owing to a state of continued trustlessness. Or, some soldier of
yours may do some injury to Yudhishthira, and that unpremeditated act
will be ascribed to your fault. Therefore, let some faithful men proceed
there for the work of tale. I do not think it is proper for thee, Bharata,
to go thither thyself."
"Sakuni said, 'The eldest of the sons of Pandu is cognisant of
morality. He pledged in the midst of the assembly, O Bharata, that he
would live for twelve years in the forest. The other sons of Pandu are
all virtuous and obedient to Yudhishthira. And Yudhishthira himself,
the son of Kunti, will never be angry with us. Indeed, we desire very
VANA PARVA 517
much to go on a hunting expedition, and will avail of that opportunity
for supervising the tale of our cattle. We have no mind to see the sons
of Pandu. We will not go to that spot where the Padavas have taken
up their residence, and consequently no exhibition of misconduct can
possibly arise on our part.'
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by Sakuni, that lord of
men, Dhritarashtra, granted permission, but not very willingly, to
Duryodhana and his counsellors to go to the place. And permitted by
the monarch the Bharata prince born of Gandhari started, accompanied
by Kama and surrounded by a large host. And he was also accompanied
by Dussasana and Suvala's son of great intelligence and by many other
brothers of his and by ladies in thousands. And as the mighty-armed
prince started for beholding the lake that was known by the name of
Dwaitavana, the citizens (of Hastina), also accompanied by their wives
began to follow him to that forest. Eight thousand cars, thirty thousand
elephants, nine thousand horses, and many thousands of foot-soldiers, and
shops and pav ilions and traders, bards and men trained in the chase by
hundreds and thousands followed the prince. And as the king started,
followed by this large concourse .of people, the uproar that was caused
there resembled, O king, the deep tumult of the ranging winds in the
rainy season. And reaching the lake Diuaitavana with all his followers
and vehicles, king Duryodhana took up his quarters at the distance of
four miles from it."
SECTION CCXXXVIII
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "King Duryodhana then moving from forest
to forest, at last approached the cattle-stations, and encamped his troops.
And his attendants, selecting a well-known and delightful spot that
abounded in water and trees and that possessed every convenience
constructed an abode for him. And near enough to the royal residence
they also erected separate abodes for Kama and Sakuni and the brothers
of the king. And the king beheld his cattle by hundreds and thousands
and examining their limbs and marks superv ised their tale. And he
caused the calves to be marked and took note of those that required to
be tamed. And he also counted those kine whose calves had not yet
been weaned. And completing the task of tale by marking and counting
every calf that was three years old, the Kuru prince, surrounded by the
cow herds, began to sport and wander cheerfully. And the citizens also
and the soldiers by thousands began to sport, as best pleased them, in
those woods, like the celestials. And the herdsmen, well skilled in
singing and dancing and instrumental music, and virgins decked in
518 MAHABHABATA
ornaments, began to minister to the pleasures of Dhritarashtra's son.
And the king surrounded by the ladies of the royal household began
cheerfully to distribute wealth and food and drinks of various kind*
amongst those that sought to please him, according to their desires.
"And the king, attended by all his followers, began also to slay
hyenas and buffaloes and deer and gayals and bears and boars all around.
And the king, piercing by his shafts those animals by thousands in deep
forest, caused the deer to be caught in the more delightful parts of the
woods. Drinking milk and enjoying, O Bharata, various other delicious
articles and beholding, as he proceeded, many delightful forests and
woods swarming with bees inebriate with floral honey and resounding
with the notes of the peacock, the king at last reached the sacred lake
of Dwaitavana. And the spot which the king reached swarmed with
bees inebriate with floral honey, and echoed with the mellifluous notes
of the blue-throated jay and was shaded by Saptacchadas and punnagas
and Vakulas. And the king graced with high prosperity proceeded
thither like the thunder- wielding chief of the celestials himself. And,
O thou best of the Kuru race, King Yudhishthira the just, endued with
high intelligence, was then, O monarch, residing in the vicinity of that
lake at will and celebrating with his wedded wife, the daughter of Dru-
pada, the diurnal sacrifice called Rajarshi, according to the ordinance
sanctioned for the celestials and persons living in the wilderness. And,
O monarch, hav ing reached that spot, Duryodhana commanded his men
by thousands, saying, 'Let pleasure-houses be constructed soon.' Thus
commanded, those doers of the king's behests replying to the Kuru
chief with the words, 'So be it/. went towards the banks of the lake for
constructing pleasure-houses. And as the picked soldiers of Dhrita-
rashtra's son, having reached the region of the lake, were about to
enter thz gates of the wood, a number of Gandharvas appeared and
forbade them to enter. For, O monarch, the king of the Gandharvas
accompanied by his followers, had come thither beforehand, from the
abode of Kuvera. And the king of the Gandharvas had also been accom-
panied by the several tribes of Apsaras, as also by the sons of the
celestials. And intent upon sport, he had come to that place for
merriment, and occupying it, had closed it against all comers. And the
attendants of the (Kuru) king, finding the lake closed by the king of the
Gandharvas, went back, O monarch, to where the royal Duryodhana
was. And Duryodhana having heard these words, despatched a number
of his warriors difficult of being subjugated in battle, commanding them
to drive away the Gandharvas. And those warriors who formed the
vanguard of the Kuru army, hearing these words of the king, went
back to the lake of Dwaitavana and addressing the Gandharvas, said,
'The mighty king Duryodhana— the son of Dhritarashtra— is coming
VANA PAEVA 519
hither for sport. Stand ye aside, therefore !' Thus addressed by them,
O king, the Gandharvas laughed and replied unto those men in these
harsh words : 'Your wicked king Duryodhana must be destitute of
sense. How else could he have thus commanded us that are dwellers of
heaven, as if indeed, we were his servants ? Without forethought, ye
also are doubtless on the point of death ; for senseless idiots as ye are,
ye have dared to bring us his message ! Return ye soon to where that
king of the Kurus is, or else go this very day to the abode of Yama.1
Thus addressed by the Gandharvas, the advanced guard of the king's
army ran back to the place where the royal son of Dhritarashtra was."
SECTION CCXXXIX
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Those soldiers then, O king, all went back to
Duryodhana and repeated to him every word that the Gandharvas had
said. And, O Bharata, rinding that his soldiers had been opposed by the
Gandharvas, Dhritarashtra's son, endued with energy, was filled with rage.
And the king addressed his soldiers, saying, 'Punish these wretches who
desire to oppose my will, even if they have come hitherto sport, accom-
panied by all the celestials with him of a hundred sacrifices. And hear-
ing these words of Duryodhana, the sons and officers of Dhritarashtra
all endued with great strength, as also warriors by thousands, began to
arm themselves for battle. And filling the ten sides with loud leonine
roars and rushing at those Gandharvas that had been guarding the gates,
they entered the forest. And as the Kuru soldiers entered the forest,
other Gandharvas came up and forbade them to advance. And though
gently forbidden by the Gandharvas to advance, the Kuru soldiers,
without regarding them in the least, began to enter that mighty forest.
And when those rangers of the sky found that the warriors of Dhrita-
rashtra along with their king could not be stopped by words they all
went to their king Chitrasena and represented everything unto him.
And when Chitrasena, the king of the Gandharvas, came to know all this
he became filled with rage, alluding to the Kuru, and commanded his
followers saying, 'Punish these wretches of wicked behaviour.' And, O
Bharata, when the Gandharvas were so commanded by Chitrasena, they
rushed weapons in hand, towards the Dhritarashtra ranks. And behold-
ing the Gandharvas impetuously rushing towards them with upraised
weapons, the Kuru warriors precipitously fled in all directions at the
very sight of Duryodhana. And beholding the Kuru soldiers all flying
from the field with their backs to the foe, the heroic Radheya alone fled
not. And seeing the mighty host of the Gandharvas rushing towards
him, Radheya checked them by a perfect shower of arrows. And the
Sutas son, owing to his extreme lightness of hand, struck hundreds of
520 MAHABHAEATA
Gandharvas with Kshurapras and arrows and Bhallas and various
weapons made of bones and steel. And that mighty warrior, causing the
heads of numerous Gandharvas to roll down within a short time, made
the ranks of Chitrasena to yell in anguish. And although they were
slaughtered in great numbers by Kama endued with great intelligence,
yet the Gandharvas returned to the charge by hundreds and thousands.
And in consequence of the swarms of Chitrasena's warriors rushing
impetuously to the field the earth itself became soon covered by the
Gandharva host. Then king Duryodhana, and Sakuni, the son of Suvala,
and Dussasana, and Vikarna, and other sons of Dhritarashtra, seated on
cars the clatter of whose wheels resembled the roars of Garuda, returned
to the charge, following the lead of Kama, and began to slaughter that
host. And desirous of supporting Kama, these princes invested the Gan-
dharva army, with a large number of cars and a strong body of horses.
Then the whole of the Gandharva host began to fight with the Kaura-
v as. And the encounter that took place between the contending hosts
was fierce in the extreme and might make one's hair stand on end. The
Gandharvas, at last, afflicted with the shafts of the Kuru army, seemed
to be exhausted. And the Kauravas beholding the Gandharvas so afflict-
ed sent up a loud sound.
"And seeing the Gandharva host yielding to fear, the angry Chitra-
sena sprang from his seat, resolved to exterminate the Kuru army. And
conversant with various modes of warfare, he waged on the fight, aided
by his weapons of illusion. And the Kaurava warriors were then all
deprived of their senses by the illusion of Chitrasena. And then, O
Bharata, it seemed that every warrior of the Kuru army was fallen upon
and surrounded by ten Gandharvas. And attacked with great vigour,
the Kuru host was greatly afflicted and struck with panic. O king, all of
them that liked to live, fled from the field. But while the entire Dhrita-
rashtra host broke and fled, Kama, that offspring of the Sun, stood there,
O king, immovable as a hill. Indeed, Duryodhana and Kama and
Sakuni, the son of Suvala, all fought with the Gandharvas, although
ev ery one of them was much wounded and mangled in the encounter.
All the Gandharvas then, desirous of slaying Kama, rushed together by
hundreds and thousands towards Kama. And those mighty warriors,
desirous of slaying the Sutas son, surrounded him on all sides, with
swords and battle-axes and spears. And some cut down the yoke of his
car, and some his flagstaff, and some the shaft of his car, and some
his horses, and some his charioteer. And some cut down his umbrella
and some the wooden fender round his car and some the joints of his car.
It was thus that many thousands of Gandharvas, together attacking his
car, broke it into minute fragments. And while his car was thus
attacked, Kama leaped therefrom with sword and shield in hand, and
mounting on Vikarna's car, urged the steeds for saving himself."
SECTION CCXL
( Ghosha-yatra Parva continued )
Vaisampayana said, "After that great warrior Kama had been
routed by the Gandharvas, the whole of the Kuru army, O monarch,
fled from the field in the very sight of Dhntarashtra's son. And be-
holding all his troops flying from the field of battle with their back to
the foe, king Duryodhana refused to fly. Seeing the mighty host of the
Gandharvas rushing towards him, that represser of foes poured down
upon them a thick shower of arrows. The Gandharvas, however, without
regarding that arrowy shower, and desirous also of slaying him,
surrounded that car of his. And by means of their arrows, they cut off
into fragments the yoke, the shaft, the fenders, the flagstaff, the three-
fold bamboo poles, and the principal turret of his car. And they also
slew his charioteer and horses, hacking them to pieces. And when
Duryodhana, deprived of his car, fell on the ground, the strong-armed
Chitrasena rushed towards him and seized him in such a way that it
seemed his life itself was taken. And after the Kuru king had been
seized, the Gandharvas, surrounding Dussasana, who was seated on his
car, also took him prisoner. And some Gandharvas seized Vivinsati
and Ghitrasena, and some Vinda and Anuvinda, while others seized all
the ladies of royal household. And the warriors of Duryodhana, who
were routed by the Gandharvas, joining those who had fled first,
approached the Pandavas (who were living in the vicinity). And after
Duryodhana had been made captive, the vehicles, the shops, the pavi-
lions, the carriages, and the draught animals, all were made over to the
Pandavas for protection. And those soldiers said, 'The mighty-armed
son of Dhritarashtra, possessed of great strength and handsome mien, is
being taken away captive by the Gandharvas ! Ye sons of Pritha, follow
them ! Dussasana, Durvishasa, Durmukha, and Durjaya, are all being
led away as captives in chains by the Gandharvas, as also all the ladies
of the royal household !'
"Crying thus, the followers of Duryodhana, afflicted with grief and
melancholy, approached Yudhishthira, desirous of effecting the release
of the king. Bhima then answered those old attendants of Duryodhana,
who, afflicted with grief and melancholy, were thus soliciting (the aid of
Yudhishthira), saying, 'What we should have done with great efforts,
arraying ourselves in line of battle, supported by horses and elephants
hath, indeed, been done by the Gandharvas! They that come hither for
other purposes, have been over taken by consequences they had not fore-
seen ! Indeed, this is the result of the e v il counsels of a king who is fond
of deceitful play ! It hath been heard by us that the foe of a person
who is powerless, is overthrown by others. The Gandharvas have, in an
35
522 MAHABHARATA
extraordinary way illustrated before our eyes the truth of this saying !
It seems that there is still fortunately some person in the world who is
desirous of doing us good who hath, indeed, taken upon his own shoul-
ders our pleasant load, although we are sitting idly ! The wretch had
come hither to cast his eyes on us,— himself in prosperity while ourselves
are sunk in adversity and emaciated by ascetic austerities and are
exposed to wind, cold, and heat. They that imitate the behaviour of that
sinful and wretched Kaurava, are now beholding his disgrace ! He
that had instructed Duryodhana to do this, had certainly acted sinfully.
That the sons of Kunti are not wicked and sinful, I tell it before you
all!1
"And while Bhima, the son of Kunti, was speaking thus in a voice
of sarcasm, king Yudhishthira told him, 'This is not time for cruel
words !' "
SECTION CCXLI
( Ghosha-yatra Parva continued )
"Yudhishthira said, 'O child, why dost thou use language such as
this, towards the frightened Kurus, who are now in adversity and who
have come to us, solicitous of protection ? O Vrikodara, disunions and
disputes do take place amongst those that are connected in blood.
Hostilities such as these do go on. But the honour of the family is never
suffered to be interfered with. If any stranger seeketh to insult the
honour of a family, they that are good nev er tolerate such insult coming
from the stranger. The wicked-souled king of the Gandharvas knoweth
that we are living here from some time. Yet disregarding us, he hath
done this deed which is so disagreeable to us! O exalted one, from this
forcible seizure of Duryodhana and from this insult to the ladies of our
house by a stranger, our family honour is being destroyed. Therefore,
ye tigers among men, arise and arm yourselves without delay for rescu-
ing those that have sought our protection and for guarding the honour
of our family. Ye tigers among men, let Arjuna and the twins and thy-
self also that art brave and unvanquished, liberate Duryodhana, who is
even now being taken away a captive ! Ye foremost of warriors, these
blazing cars, furnished with golden flagstaffs and every kind of weapons
belonging to Dhritarashtra's sons, are ready here. With Indrasena and
other charioteers skilled in arms, for guiding them, ride ye on these ever-
furnished cars of deep rattle ! And riding on these, exert ye with acti-
vity for fighting with the Gandharvas to liberate Duryodhana. Even
an ordinary Kshatriya (amongst those that are here), would to the height
of his power, protect one that hath come hither for refuge ! What
then, O Vrikodara, shall I say of thee ? Entreated for assistance in such
VANA PAHVA 523
words as '0 hasten to my aid /' Who is there (amongst those standing
around me) that is high-souled enough to assist even his foe, beholding
him seeking shelter with joined hands ? The bestowal of a boon, sover-
eignty, and the birth of a son are sources of great joy. But, ye sons of
Pandu, the liberation of a foe from distress is equal to all the three put
together I What can be a source of greater joy to you than that Duryo-
dhana sunk in distress seeketh his very life as depending on the might
of your arms ? O Vrikodara, if the vow in which I am engaged had
been over, there is little doubt that I would myself have run to his aid.
Strive thou by all means, O Bharata, to liberate Duryodhana by the
arts of conciliation. If, however, the king of the Gandharv as cannot
be managed by the arts of conciliation, then must thou try to rescue
Suyodhana by lightly skirmishing with the foe. But if the chief of the
Gandharv as do not let the Kurus off even then, they must be rescued
by crushing the foe by all means. O Vrikodara, this is all I can tell thee
now, for my vow hath been begun and is not ended yet !'
Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these words of Ajatasatru,
Dhananjaya pledged himself, from respect for these commands of his
superior, to liberate the Kauravas. And Arjuna said, 'If the Gandhar-
vas do not set the Dhartarashtras free peacefully, the Earth shall this
day drink the blood of the king of the Gandharv as f And hearing that
pledge of the truth-speaking Arjuna, the Kauravas then, Oking, regained
(the lost) tenor of their minds."
SECTION CCXLII
(Ghoslia-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Hearing the words of Yudhishthira, those
bulls among men, headed by Bhimasena, rose up with faces beaming in
joy. And those mighty warriors, O Bharata, then began to case them-
selves in impenetrable mail that were besides variegated with pure gold,
and armed themselves with celestial weapons of various kinds. And the
Pandavas thus cased in mail, and mounted on those chariots furnished
with flagstaffsand armed with bows and arrows, looked like blazing fires.
And those tigers among warriors, riding upon those well-furnished cars
drawn by fleet horses, proceeded to that spot without losing a moment.
And beholding those mighty warriors— the sons of Pandu— thus pro-
ceeding together (for the liberation of Duryodhana), the Kuruarmy sent
forth a loud shout. And soon did those rangers of the sky flushed with
victory, and those impetuous warriors, the sons of Pandu, fearlessly en-
counter each other in that forest. The Gandharv as were flushed with
success, and beholding the four brave sons of Pandu coming to battle
seated on their cars, they all turned back towards the advancing com-
524 MAHABHAKATA
batants. And, the dwellers of the Gandhamadana, beholding the Panda-
vas looking like blazing guardians of the world provoked to ire, stood
arrayed in order of battle. And, O Bharata, in accordance with words
of king Yudhishthira of great wisdom, the encounter that took place
was a skirmish. But when Arjuna — that persecutor of foes — saw that the
foolish soldiers of the king of Gandharvas could not be made to under-
stand what was good for them by means of a light skirmish, he addressed
those invincible rangers of the skies in a conciliatory tone and said,
'Leave ye my brother king Suyodhana.' Thus addressed by the illus-
trious son of Pandu, the Gandharvas, laughing aloud, replied unto him
saying, 'O child, there is but one in the world whose behests we obey
and living under whose rule we pass our days in happiness : O Bharata,
we always act as that one only person commandeth us ! Besides that celes-
tial chief there is none that can command us !' Thus addressed by the
Gandharvas, Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, replied unto them, saying,
This contact with other people's wives and this hostile encounter with
human beings are acts that are both censurable in the king of the Gan-
dharvas and not proper for him. Therefore, leave ye these sons of
Dhritarashtra all endued with mighty energy. And liberate ye also
these ladies, at the command of king Yudhishthira the just. If, ye
Gandharvas, ye do not set the sons of Dhritarashtra free peacefully, I
shall certainly rescue Suyodhana (and his party) by exerting my prowess.'
And speaking unto them thus, Pritha's son, Dhananjaya, capable of
wielding the bow with his left hand also, then rained a' shower of sharp
pointed sky-ranging shafts upon those rangers of the firmament. Thus
attacked, the mighty Gandharvas then encountered the sons of Pandu
with a shower of arrows equally thick, and the Panda v as also replied by
attacking those dwellers of heaven. And the battle then, O Bharata,
that ranged between the active and agile Gandharvas and the impetuous
son of Pandu was fierce in the extreme."
SECTION CCXLIII
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Then those Gandharvas decked in golden
garlands and accomplished in celestial weapons, showing their blazing
shafts, encountered the Pandavas from every side. And as the sons of
Pandu were only four in number and the Gandharvas counted by
thousands, the battle that ensued appeared to be extraordinary. And
as the cars of Kama and Duryodhana had formerly been broken into a
hundred fragments by the Gandharvas, so were the cars of the four
heroes attempted to be broken. But those tigers among men began to
encounter with their showers of arrows thousands upon thousands of
VANA PABVA 525
Gandharvas rushing towards them. Those rangers of skies endued with
great energy, ,thus checked on all sides by that arrowy down-pour,
succeeded not in even coming near to the sons of Pandu. Then Arjuna
whose ire had been provoked, aiming at the angry Gandharvas, prepared
to hurl against them his celestial weapons. And in that encounter, the
mighty Arjuna, by means of his Agneya weapon, sent ten hundreds of
thousands of Gandharvas to the abode of Yama. Ancfr that mighty
bowman, Bhima, also, that foremost of all warriors in battle, slew, by
means of his sharp arrows, Gandharvas by hundreds. And the mighty
sons of Madri also, battling with vigour, encountered hundreds of Gan-
dharvas, O king, and slaughtered them all. And as Gandharvas were
being thus slaughtered by the mighty warriors with their celestial wea-
pons, they rose up to the skies, taking with them the sons of Dhrita-
rashtra. But Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, beholding them rise up to
the skies, surrounded them on every side by a wide net of arrows. And
confined within that arrowy net like birds within a cage, they showered
in wrath upon Arjuna maces and darts and broad-swords. But Arjuna
who was conversant with the most efficacious weapons, soon checked
that shower of maces and darts and broad-swords, and in return began to
mangle the limbs of the Gandharvas with his crescent -shaped arrows.
And heads and legs and arms began to dropdown from above resembling
a shower of stones. And at that sight, the foe was struck with panic.
And as the Gandharvas were being slaughtered by the illustrious son of
Pandu, they began to shower from the skies a heavy down-pour of shafts
upon Arjuna, who was on the surface of the earth. But that chastiser of
foes, Arjuna, endued with mighty energy checked that shower of arrows
by means of his own weapons and began, in return, to wound them.
Then Arjuna of the Kuru race shot his well-known weapons called
Sthunakarna, Indrajala, Saura, Agneya and Saumya. And the Gandharvas
consumed by the fiery weapons of Kunti's son, began to suffer heavily,
like the sons of Diti, while being scorched by Sakra's thunder-bolt. And
when they attacked Arjuna from above, they were checked by his net
of arrows. And while they attacked him from all sides on the surface
of the earth, they were checked by his crescent-shaped arrows. And
beholding the Gandharvas put in fear by Kunti's son, Chitrasena rushed,
O Bharata, at Dhananjaya, armed with a mace. And as the king of the
Gandharvas was rushing at Arjuna from above with that mace in hand,
the latter cut with his arrows that mace wholly made of iron into seven
pieces. And beholding that mace of his cut into many pieces by Arjuna
of great activity, with his arrows, Chitrasena, by means of his science,
concealed himself from the view of the Panda v a and began to fight with
him. The heroic Arjuna, however, by means of his own celestial wea-
pons checked all the celestial weapons that were aimed at him by the
526 MAHABHAEATA
Gandharvas. And when the chief of the Gandharvas saw that he was
checked by the illustrious Arjuna with those weapons of his he entirely
disappeared from sight by help of his powers of illusion. And Arjuna,
observing that the chief of the Gandharvas was striking at him conceal-
ed from sight, attacked his assailant with celestial weapon inspired with
proper Mantras. And the multiform Dhananjaya filled with wrath,
prevented the disappearance of his foe by means of his weapon known
by the name of Sabda-veda. And assailed with those weapons by the
illustrious Arjuna, his dear friend, the king of the Gandharvas, showed
himself unto him. And Chitrasena said, 'Behold in me thy friend
battling with thee !' And beholding his friend Chitrasena exhausted in
the battle, that bull among the sons of Pandu withdrew the weapons he
had shot. And the other sons of Pandu beholding Arjuna withdraw his
weapons, checked their flying steeds and the impetus of their weapons
and withdrew their bows. And Chitrasena and Bhima and Arjuna and
the twins enquiring about one another's welfare, sat awhile on their
respective cars."
SECTION CCXLIV
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Then that mighty bowman of blazing
splendour, Arjuna, smilingly said unto Chitrasena in the midst of the
Gandharva host, 'What purpose dost thou serve, O hero, in punishing
the Kauravas ? O, why also hath Suyodhana with his wives been thus
punished ?'
"Chitrasena replied, 'O Dhananjaya, without stirring from my
own abode I became acquainted with the purpose of the wicked Duryo-
dhana and the wretched Kama in coming hither. The purpose was even
this, — knowing that ye are exiles in the forest and suffering great
afflictions as if ye had none to take care of you, himself in prosperity,
this wretch entertained the desire of beholding you plunged in adversity
and misfortune. They came hither for mocking you and the illustrious
daughter of Drupada. The lord of the celestials also, having ascertained
this purpose of theirs, told me, 'Go thou and bring Duryodhana hither
in chains along with his counsellors. Dhananjaya also with his brother
should always be protected by thee in battle, for he is thy dear friend
and disciple.' At these words of the lord of the celestials I came hither
speedily. This wicked prince hath also been put in chains. I will now
proceed to the region of the celestials, whither I will lead this wicked
wight at the command of the slayer of Paka f
"Arjuna answered, saying, 'O Chitrasena, if thou wishest to do
what is agreeable to me, set Suyodhana free, at the command of king
Yudhishthira the just, for he is our brother !'
VANA PABVA 527
'Chitrasena said, "This sinful wretch is always full of vanity. He
deserveth not to be set free. O Dhananjaya, he hath deceived and
wronged both king Yudhishthira the just and Krishna. Yudhishthira
the son of Kunti as yet knoweth not the purpose on which the wretch
came hither. Let the king, therefore, do what he desires after knowing
everything !"
Vaisampayana continued, "After this, all of them went to king
Yuihishthira the just. And going unto the king, they represented
unto him everything about Duryodhana's conduct. And Ajatasatru,
hearing everything that the Gandharvas had said, liberated all the
Kauravas and applauded the Gandharvas. And the king said, 'Fortu-
nate it is for us that though gifted with great strength, ye did not yet
slay the wicked son of Dhritarashtra along with all counsellors and
relatives. This, O sir, hath been an act of great kindness done to me
by the Gandharvas. The honour also of my family is saved by liberating
this wicked wight. I am glad at seeing you all. Command me what I
am to do for you. And having obtained all you wish, return ye soon
whence ye came f
"Thus addressed by the intelligent son of Pandu, the Gandharvas
became well-pleased and went away with the Apsaras. And the lord of
the celestials then, coming to that spot, revived those Gandharvas that
had been slain in the encounter with the Kurus, by sprinkling the celes-
tial Amrita over them. And the Pandavas also, having liberated their
relatives along with the ladies of the royal household, and having
achieved that difficult feat (the defeat of the Gandharvas host) became
well-pleased. And those illustrious and mighty warriors worshipped
by the Kurus along with their sons and wives, blazed forth in splendour
like flaming fires in the sacrificial compound. And Yudhishthira then
addressing the liberated Duryodhana in the midst of his brothers, from
affection, told him these words : 'O child, never again do such a rash
act. O Bharata, a rash wight never cometh by happiness. O son of the
Kuru race, pleased be thou with all thy brothers. Go back to thy
capital as pleaseth thee, without yielding thyself to despondency or
cheerlessness !' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus dismissed by the son of Pandu,
king Duryodhana then saluted king Yudhishthira the just and over-
whelmed with shame, and his heart rent in twain, mechanically set out
for his capital, like one destitute of life, And after the Kaurava prince
had departed, the brave Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, along with his
brothers, was worshipped by the Brahmanas, and surrounded by those
Brahmanas endued with the wealth of asceticism, like Sakra himself by
the celestials, he began to pass his days happily in the woods of Dwaita."
SECTION CCXLV
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Janamejaya said, "After his defeat and capture by the foe and his
subsequent liberation by the illustrious sons of Pandu by force of arms,
it seemeth to me that the entry into Hastinapura of the proud, wicked,
boastful, vicious, insolent, and wretched Duryodhana, engaged in insult-
ing the sons of Pandu and bragging of his own superiority, must have
been exceedingly difficult. Describe to me in detail, O Vaisampayana,
the entry into the capital, of that prince overwhelmed with shame and
unmanned by grief !"
Vaisampayana said, "Dismissed by the king Yudhishthira the just,
Dhritarashtra's son Suyodhana, bending his head down in shame and
afflicted with grief and melancholy, set out slowly. And the king, accom-
panied by his four kinds of forces, proceeded towards his city, his heart
rent in grief and rilled with thoughts of his defeat along the way in a
region that abounded in grass and water. The king encamped on a delight-
ful piece of ground as pleased him best, with his elephants and cars and
cavalry and infantry stationed all around. And as the king Duryodhana
was seated on an elevated bedstead endued with the effulgence of fire,
himself looking like the moon under an eclipse, towards the small hours
of the morning Kama, approaching him, said, 'Fortunate it is, O son of
Gandhari, that thou art alive ! Fortunate it is, that we have once more
met ! By good luck it is that thou hast vanquished the Gandharvas
capable of assuming any form at will. And, O son of the Kuru race, it
is by good luck alone, that I am enabled to see thy brothers — mighty
warriors all — come off victorious from that encounter, having subjugated
their foes ! As regards myself, assailed by all the Gandharvas, I fled
before thy eyes, unable to rally our flying host. Assailed by the foe with
all his might, my body mangled with their arrows, I sought safety in
flight. This however, O Bharata, seemed to me to be a great marvel
that I behold you all come safe and sound in body, with your wives,
troops, and vehicles, out of that super-human encounter. O Bharata,
there is another man in this world who can achieve what thou, O king,
hast achieved in battle to-day with thy brothers."
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by Kama, king Duryo-
dhana replied unto the ruler of the Angas in a voice choked with tears."
SECTION CCXLVI
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
"Duryodhana said, 'O Radheya, thou knowest not what hath
happened. Therefore, I do not resent thy words. Thou thinkest the
hostile Gandharvas:.to have been vanquished by me with my own energy.
VANA PARVA 529
O thou of mighty arms, my brothers, indeed had for a long time, aided by
me fought with the Gandharvas. The slaughtered, indeed, on both sides
were great. But when those brave Gandharvas, resorting to their many
powers of illusion, ascended the skies and began to fight with us thence,
our encounter with them ceased to be an equal one. Defeat then was
ours and even captivity. And afflicted with sorrow, we along with our
attendants and counsellors and children and wives and troops and vehi-
cles were being taken by them through the skies. It was then that some
soldiers of ours and some brave officers repaired in grief unto the sons
of Pandu— those heroes that never refuse succour to those that ask for
it. And having gone to them they said, 'Here is king Duryodhana, the
son of Dhritarashtra, who with his younger brothers and friends and
wives is being led away a captive by the Gandharvas along the sky.
Blest be ye. Liberate the king along with the women of the royal house-
hold ! Suffer no insult to be offered unto all the ladies of the Kuru race.
And when they had spoken thus, the eldest of Pandu s sons, who is endued
with a virtuous soul then conciliated his brothers and commanded them
to liberate us. Then those bulls among men, the Panda v as, overtaking
the Gandharvas, solicited our release in soft words, although fully able
to effect it by force of arms. And when the Gandharvas, addressed in
such conciliatory words, refused to set us at liberty, then Arjuna and
Bhima and the twins endued with mighty energy, shot showers of arrows
at the Gandharvas. Then the Gandharvas, abandoning the fight, fled
through the sky, dragging our melancholy selves after them, filled with
joy. Then we beheld a network of arrows spread all around by
Dhananjaya, who was also shooting celestial weapons upon the foe. And
seeing the points of the horizon covered by Arjuna with a thick net-
work of sharp arrows, his friend, the chief of the Gandharvas, showed
himself. And Chitrasena and Arjuna, embracing each other, enquired
after each other's welfare. And the other sons of Pandu also embraced
the chief of the Gandharvas and were embraced by him. And enquiries
of courtesy passed between them also. And the brave Gandharvas then
abandoning their weapons and mail mingled in a friendly spirit with
the Pandavas. And Chitrasena and Dhananjaya worshipped each other
with regard."
SECTION CCXLVII
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Duryodhana said, "That slayer of hostile heroes, Arjuna, then
approaching Chitrasena, smilingly addressed him in these manly words :
'Ohero, O foremost of the Gandharvas, it behoveth thee to set my
brothers at liberty. They are incapable of being insulted as long as the
36
530 MAHABHAEATA
sons of Pandu are alive.' 'Thus addressed by the illustrious son of
Pandu, the chief of theGandharvas, OKarna, disclosed unto the Panda-
vas the object we had in view in proceeding to that place, viz., that we
came there for casting our eyes on the sons of Pandu with their wife,
all plunged in misery. And while the Gandharva was disclosing those
counsels of ours, overwhelmed with shame I desired the earth to yield
me a crevice, so that I might disappear there and then. TheGandharvas
then, accompanied by the Pandavas, went to Yudhishthira, and, disclos-
ing unto him also counsels, made us over, bound as we were, to him.
Alas, what greater sorrow could be mine than that I should thus be
offered as a tribute unto Yudhishthira, in the very sight of the women
of our household, myself in chains and plunged in misery, and under the
absolute control of my enemies. Alas, they, who have ever been
persecuted by me, they unto whom I have ever been a foe released me
from captivity, and wretch that I am, I am indebted to them for my life.
If, O hero, I had met with my death in that great battle, that would
have been far better than that I should have obtained my life in this
way. If I had been slain by the Gandharvas, my fame would have
spread over the whole earth, and I should have obtained auspicious
regions of eternal bliss in the heaven of Indra. Listen to me therefore,
ye bulls among men, as to what I intend to do now. I will stay here
forgoing all food, while ye all return home. Let all my brothers also
go to Hastinapura. Let all our friends, including Kama, and all our
relatives headed by Dussasana, return now to the capital. Insulted by
the foe, I myself will not repair thither. I who had before wrested from
the foe his respect, I who had always enchanced the respect of my
friends, have now become a source of sorrow unto friends and of joy
unto enemies. What shall I now say unto the king, going to the city
named after the elephant ? What will Bhishma and Drona, Kripa, and
Drona's son, Vidura and San jay a, Vahuka and Somadatta and other re-
vered seniors, — what will the principal men of the other orders and men
of independent professions, say to me and what shall I say unto them in
reply ? Having hitherto stayed over the heads of my enemies, having
hitherto trod upon their breasts, I have fallen away from my position.
How shall I ever speak with them ? Insolent men having obtained
prosperity and knowledge and affluence, are seldom blest for any length
of time like myself puffed up with vanity. Alas, led by folly I have done
a highly improper and wicked act, for which, fool that I am, I have
fallen into such distress. Therefore, will I perish by starving, life
having become insupportable to me. Relieved from distress by the foe,
what man of spirit is there who can drag on his existence ? Proud as I
am, shorn of manliness, the foe hath laughed at me, for the Pandavas
possessed of prowess have looked at me plunged in misery !"
VANA PARVA 531
Vaisampayana continued, "While giving way to such reflections
Duryodhana spoke unto Dussasana thus : 'O Dussasana, listen to these
words of mine, O thou of the Bharata race ! Accepting this installation
that I offer thee, be thou king in my place. Rule thou the wide earth
protected by Kama and Suvala's sons. Like Indra himself looking after
the Maruts, cherish thou thy brothers in such a way that they may all
confide in thee. Let the friends and relatives depend on thee like the
gods depending on him of a hundred sacrifices. Always shouldst thou
bestow pensions on Brahmanas, without idleness, and be thou ever the
refuge of thy friends and relatives. Like Vishnu looking after the celes-
tials, thou shouldst always look after all consanguineous relatives. Thou
shouldst also ever cherish thy superiors. Go, rule thou the earth
gladdening thy friends and reproving thy foes.' And clasping his neck,
Duryodhana said, 'G° !' Hearing these words of his, Dussasana in per-
fect cheer lessness and overwhelmed with great sorrow, his voice choked
in tears, said, with joined hands and bending his head unto his eldest
brother, 'Relent !' And saying this he fell down on earth with heavy
heart. And afflicted with grief that tiger among men, shedding his
tears on the feet of his brother again said, 'This will never be ! The
earth may split, the vault of heaven may break in pieces, the sun may
cast off his splendour, the moon may abondon his coolness, the wind may
forsake its speed, the Himavat may be moved from its site, the waters
of the ocean may dry up, and fire may abandon its heat, yet I, O king,
may never rule the earth without thee.' And Dussasana repeatedly
said, 'Relent, O king ! Thou alone shall be king in our race for a hun-
dred years.' And having spoken thus unto the king, Dussasana began
to weep melodiously catching, O Bharata, the feet of his eldest brother
deserving of worship from him.
"And beholding Dussasana and Duryodhana thus weeping, Kama
in great grief approached them both and said, 'Ye, Kuru princes, why
do you thus yield to sorrow like ordinary men, from senselessness ? Mere
weeping can never ease a sorrowing man's grief. When weeping can
never remove one's griefs, what do you gain by thus giving way to
sorrow ? Summon patience to your aid do not gladden the foe by
such conduct. O king, the Pandavas only did their duty in liberating
thee. They that reside in the dominions of the king, should always do
what is agreeable to the king. Protected by thee, the Pandavas are
residing happily in thy dominion. It behoveth thee not to indulge in
such sorrow like an ordinary person. Behold, thy uterine brothers are
all sad and cheerless at seeing thee resolved to put an end to thy life by
forgoing food. Blest be thou ! Rise up and come to thy city and con-
sole these thy uterine brothers."
SECTION CCXLVIII
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
"Kama continued, 'O king, this conduct of thine to-day appeareth
to be childish. O hero, O slayer of foes, what is to be wondered at in
this that the Panda v as liber ated,thee whenthou wert vanquished by the
foe ? O son of the Kuru race, those that reside in the territories of the
king, especially those (amongst them) that lead the profession of arms,
should always do what is agreeable to the king whether they happen to
be known to their monarch or unknown to him. It happened often
that foremost men who crush the ranks of the hostile host, are van-
quished by them, and are rescued by their own troops. They that
leading the profession of arms, reside in the king's realm should always
combine and exert themselves to the best of their power, for the king. If,
therefore^ O king, the Pandavas, who live in the territories, have liber-
ated thee, what is there to be regretted at in this ? That the Pandavas,
O best of kings, did not follow thee when thou didst march forth to
battle at the head of thy troops, has been an improper act on their part.
They had before this come under thy power, becoming thy slaves. They
are therefore, bound to aid thee now, being endued with courage and
might and incapable of turning away from the field of battle. Thou art
enjoying all the rich possessions of the Pandavas. Behold them yet alive,
O king ! They have not resolved to die, forgoing all food. Blest be
thou ! Rise up, O king ! It behoveth thee not to indulge in great sorrow
long. O king, it is the certain duty of those that reside in the king's
realm to do what is agreeable to the king. Where should the regret be
in all this ? If thou, O king, dost not act according to my words I shall
stay here employed in reverentially serving thy feet. O bull among
men, I do not desire to live deprived of thy company. O king, if thou
resolvest to slay thyself by forgoing food, thou wilt simply be an object
of laughter with other kings."
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by Kama, king Duryo-
dhana, firmly resolved to leave the world, desired not to rise from
where he sat."
SECTION CCXLIX
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Beholding king Duryodhana, incapable of
putting up with an insult, seated with the resolution of giving up life by
forgoing food, Sakuni, the son of Suvala, said these words to comfort
him. Sakuni said, 'O son of the Kuru race, you have just heard what
Kama hath said. His words are, indeed fraught with wisdom. Why
VANA PABVA 533
wouldst thou abondoning from foolishness the high prosperity that I won
for thee, cast off thy life to-day, O king, yielding to silliness ? It seemeth
to me to-day that thou hast never waited upon the old. He that cannot
control sudden accession of joy or grief, is lost even though he may have
obtained prosperity, like an unburnt earthen vessel in water. That king
who is entirely destitute of courage, who hath no spark of manliness,
who is the slave of procrastination, who always acts with indiscretion,
who is addicted to sensual pleasures, is seldom respected by his subjects.
Benefitted as thou has been, whence is this unreasonable grief of thine ?
Do not undo this graceful act done by the sons of Pritha, by indulging
in such grief. When thou shouldst joy and reward the Pandavas, thou
art grieving, O king ! Indeed, this behaviour of thine is inconsistent.
Be cheerful, do not cast away thy life ; but remember with a pleased
heart the good they have done thee. Give back unto the sons of Pritha
their kingdom, and win thou both virtue and renown by such conduct.
By acting in this way, thou mayst be grateful. Establish brotherly
relations with the Pandavas by being friends, and give them their
paternal kingdom, for then thou wilt be happy !' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these words of Sakuni, and
seeing the brave Dussasana lying prostrate before him unmanned by
fraternal love, the king raised Dussasana and, clasping him in his well
round arms, smelt his head from affection. And hearing these words of
Kama and Sauvala, king Duryodhana lost heart more than ever, and he
was overwhelmed with shame and utter despair overtook his soul. And
hearing all that his friends said, he answered with sorrow, 1 have
nothing more to do with virtue, wealth, friendship, affluence, sovereignty,
and enjoyments. Do not obstruct my purpose, but leave me all of
you. I am firmly resolved to cast away my life by forgoing food.
Return to the city, and treat my superiors there respectfully.'
"Thus addressed by him, they replied unto that royal grinder of
foes, saying, 'O monarch, the course that is thine, is also ours: O Bharata.
How can we enter the city without thee ?' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Though addressed in all manner of ways
by his friends and counsellors and brothers and relatives, the king wav-
ered not from his purpose. And the son of Dhritarashtra in accordance
with his purpose spread Kusa grass on the earth, and purifying himself
by touching water, sat down upon that spot. And clad in rags and Kusa
grass he set himself to observe the highest vow. And stopping all
speech, that tiger among kings, moved by the desire of going to heaven,
began to pray and worship internally suspending all external intercourse.
"Meanwhile the fierce Daityas and the Danavas who had been
defeated of old by the celestials and had been dwelling in the nether re-
gions having ascertained Duryodhana's purpose and knowing that if the
534 MAHABHAEATA
king died their party would be weakened, commenced a sacrifice with
fire for summoning Duryodhana to their presence. And mantra-
knowing persons then commenced, with the help of formulae
declared by Vrihaspati and Usanas, those rites that are indicated in the
Atharoa Veda and the Upanisliads and which are capable of being
achieved by mantras and prayers. And Brahmins of rigid vows, well-
versed in the Vedas and the branches, began, with rapt soul, to pour
libations of clarified butter and milk into the fire, uttering mantras. And
after those rites were ended, a strange goddess, O king, with mouth wide
open, arose (from the sacrificial fire), saying, 'What am I to do ?' And
the Daityas with well-pleased hearts, commanded her, saying, 'Bring thou
hither the royal son of Dhritarashtra, who is even now observing the
vow of starvation for getting rid of his life.' Thus commanded, she went
away saying, 'So be it.' And she went in the twinkling of an eye to that
spot where Suyodhana was. And taking up the king back to the nether
regions, and having brought him thus in a moment, she apprised
the Danavas of it. And the Danavas beholding the king brought into
their midst in the night, united together, and all of them with well-
pleased hearts and eyes expanded in delight addressed these flattering
words to Duryodhana."
SECTION CCL
(GhosJia-yatra Parva continued)
"The Danavas said, 'O Suyodhana, O great king, O perpetuator of
the race of Bharata, thou art ever surrounded by heroes and illustrious
men. Why hast thou, then, undertaken to do such a rash act as the
vow of starvation ? The suicide ever sinketh into hell and becometh
the subject of calumnious speech. Nor do intelligent persons like thee
ever set their hands to acts that are sinful and opposed to their best
interests and striking at the very root of their purposes. Restrain this
resolve of thine, therefore, O king, which is destructive of morality,
profit, and happiness, of fame, prowess, and energy, and which enhan-
ceth the joy of foes. O exalted king, know the truth, the celestial
origin of thy soul, and the maker of thy body, and then summon thou
patience to thy aid. In days of old, O king, we have obtained thee, by
ascetic austerities from Maheswara. The upper part of thy body is
wholly made of an assemblage of Vajras, and is, therefore, invulnerable
to weapons of every description, O sinless one. The lower part of thy
body, capable of captivating the female heart by its comeliness was made
of flowers by the goddess herself — the wife of Mahadeva. Thy body is
thus, O best of kings, the creation of Maheswara himself and his
goddess. Therefore, O tiger among kings, thou art of celestial origin,
VANA PARVA 535
not human. Other brave Kshatriyas of mighty energy headed by Bhaga-
datta, and all acquainted with celestial weapons, will slay thy foes.
Therefore, let this grief of thine cease. Thou hast no cause for fear.
For aiding thee, many heoric Danav as have been born on the earth.
Other Asuras will also possess Bhishma and Drona and Kama and others.
Possessed by those Asuras, these heroes will cast away their kindness
and fight with thy foes. Indeed, when the Danav as will enter their
heart and possess them completely, flinging all affections to a distance,
becoming hard-hearted, these warriors will strike every body opposed
to them in battle without sparing sons, brothers, fathers, friends, dis-
ciples, relatives, even children and old men. Blinded by ignorance and
wrath, and impelled by that destiny which hath been ordained by the
Creator, these tigers among men, with hearts steeped in sin, will, O
thou foremost of the Kurus, depopulate the earth by hurling and shoot-
ing all kinds of weapons, with great manliness and strength and always
addressing one another boastfully with words such as these, 'Thou slialt
not escape from me today with life.' And these illustrious sons of Pandu
also, five in number, will fight with these. And, endued with mighty
strength and favoured by Fate, they will compass the destruction of
these. And, O king, many Daityas and Rakshasas also that have been
born in the Kshatriya order, will fight with great prowess in the battle
with thy foes, using maces and clubs and lances and various weapons
of a superior kind. And, O hero, with respect to the fear that is in thy
heart rising from Arjuna, we have already settled the means for slay-
ing Arjuna. The soul of the slain Naraka hath assumed the form of
Kama. Recollecting his former hostility he will encounter both Kesava
and Arjuna. And that mighty warrior and foremost of smiters, proud of
his prowess will vanquish Arjuna in battle as also all thy enemies. The
wielder of the thunder-bolt, knowing all this, and desirous of saving
Arjuna, will in disguise take away from Kama his ear-rings and coat of
mail. We also have for that reason apppointed hundreds upon hundreds
and thousands upon thousands of Daityas and Rakshasas, viz., those that
are known by the name of1 Samsaptalcas.1 These celebrated warriors will
slay the heoric Arjuna. Therefore, grieve not, O king. Thou wilt rule
the whole earth, O monarch, without a rival. Do not yield to despon-
dency. Conduct such as this does not suit thee. O thou of the Kuru race,
1 Life, soldiers that have sworn to conquer or die. A full Akshau-
hini of these soldiers was owned by Krishna, who gave them to Duryo-
dhana to fight for him. The story of Krishna's offerings to Duryodhana
the choice between these soldiers on the one side, and himself sworn not
to fight but only to aid with his counsels on the other, is given in full in
the Udyoga Parva. Duryodhana, from folly, accepted the former, who
were all slain by Arjuna.
536 MAHABHAEATA
if thou diest, our party becometh weak. Go thou, O hero, and let not
thy mind be directed to any other course of action. Thou art ev er our
refuge as, indeed, the Pandavas are the refuge of the gods.'
Vaisampayana continued, "Having addressed him thus, those
Daityas embraced that elephant among kings, and those bulls
among the Dana v as cheered that irrepressible one like a son. And, O
Bharata, pacifying his mind by soft speech, they permitted him to depart,
saying, 'Go and attain victory I' And when they had given leave to the
mighty-armed one, that very goddess carried him back to the spot
where he had sat down, intent upon putting an end to his life. And
having set that hero down and paid him homage, the goddess vanished,
taking the king's permission. O Bharata, when she had gone, king
Duryodhana considered all (that had happened) as a dream. He then
thought within himself, 1 shall defeat the Pandavas in battle.' And
Suyodhana thought that Kama and the Samsaptaka army were both able
(to destroy) and intent upon destroying that slayer of foes, Partha.
Thus, O bull of the Bharata race, the hope was strengthened of the
wicked minded son of Dhritarashtra, of conquering the Pandavas. And
Kama also, his soul and faculties possessed by the inmost soul of Naraka,
had at that time cruelly determined to slay Arjuna. And those
heroes — the Samsaptakas also — having their sense possessed by the
Rakshasas, and influenced by the qualities of emotion and darkness,
were desirous of slaying Phalguna. And, O king, others with Bhishma,
Drona, and Kripa at their head, having their faculties influenced by the
Danavas, were not so affectionate towards the sons of Pandu as they had
been. But king Suyodhana did not tell any one of this.
"When the night passed away, Kama, that offspring of the Sun,
with joined hands, similingly addressed these wise words to king Duryo-
dhana, 'No dead man conquereth his foes : it is when he is alive that
he can see his good. Where is the good of the dead person ; and, O
Kauraveya, where is his victory ? Therefore, this is no time for grief,
or fear or death. And having with his arms embraced that mighty-
armed one, he further said, 'Rise up, O king ! Why dost thou lie down ?
Why dost thou grieve, O slayer of foes ? Having afflicted thy enemies
by thy prowess, why dost thou wish for death ? Or (perhaps) fear hath
possessed thee at the sight of Arjuna's prowess. I truly promise unto
thee that I will slay Arjuna in battle. O lord of men, I swear by my
weapon that when the three and ten years shall have passed away, I will
bring the sons of Pritha under thy subjection.' Thus addressed by Kama,
and remembering the words of the Daityas and supplications made by
them (his brothers), Suyodhana rose up. And having heard those words
of the Daityas that tiger among men, with a firm resolve in his heart
arrayed his army, abounding in horses and elephants and cars and in.
VANA PARVA 537
fantry. And, O monarch, immensely swarming with white umbrellas,
and pennons, and white Chamaras, and cars, and elephants, and foot-
soldiers, that mighty army, as it moved like the waters of the Ganga,
looked graceful like the firmament, at a season when the clouds have
dispersed and the signs of autumn have been but partially developed.
And, O foremost of kings, eulogised like a monarch by the best of the
Brahmanas blessing with victory, that lord of men Suyodhana, Dhrita-
rashtra's son, receiving honours paid with innumerable joined palms,
and flaming in exceeding splendour, went in the front, accompanied by
Kama, and that gambler, the son of Suvala. And all his brothers with
Dussasana at their head, and Bhurisrava, and Somadatta, and the mighty
king Vahlika, followed that lion among kings on his way, with cars
of various forms, and horses, and the best of elephants. And, O prime
among monarchs, in a short time, those perpetuators of the Kuru race
entered their own city."
SECTION CCLT
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Janamejaya said, "When the high-souled sons of Pritha were
living in the forest, what did those foremost of men and mighty archers
—the sons of Dhritarashtra — do ? And what did the offspring of the
Sun, Kama, and the mighty Sakuni, and Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa
do ? It behov eth thee to relate this unto me."
Vaisampayana said, "When, O mighty king, in this manner the
Pandavas had gone, leaving Suyodhana, and when, having been liberated
by Pandu's sons, he had come to Hastinapura, Bhishma said these words
to the son of Dhritarashtra, 'O child, I had told thee before, when thou
wert intent upon going to the hermitage that thy journey did not please
me. But thou didst do so. And as a consequence, O hero, wert thou
forcibly taken captive by the enemy, and wert delivered by the Panda-
vas versed in morality. Yet art thou not ashamed. Even in the pre-
sence of thee, O son of Gandhari, together with thy army, did the Suta's
son, struck with panic, fly from the battle of the Gandharvas, O king.
And, O foremost of kings, O son of the monarch ! while thou with thy
army wert crying distressfully, thou didst witness the prowess of the
high-souled Pandavas, and also, O mighty-armed one, of the wicked
son of the Suta, Kama. O best of kings, whether in the science of
arms, or heroism, or morality, Kama, O thou devoted to virtue, is not
a fourth part of the Pandavas. Therefore, for the welfare of this race,
the conclusion of peace is, I think, desirable with the high-souled
Pandavas.'
"Having been thus addressed by Bhishma, Dhritarashtra's son the
king, laughed a good deal, and then suddenly sailed out with the son of
37
533 MAHABHARATA
Suvala. Thereupon, knowing that he was gone, those mighty bowmen
with Kama, and Dussasana at their head, followed the highly powerful
son of Dhritarashtra. And seeing them gone, Bhishma, the grandfather
of the Kurus, hung down his head from shame, and then, O king, went
to his own quarters. And, O mighty monarch, when Bhishma had left,
that lord of men, Dhritarashtra's son came there again, and began to
consult with his counsellors, 'What is it that is good for me ? What
remaineth to be done ? And how we can most effectively bring about
the good we shall discuss to-day/ Kama said, 'O Kuru's son, Duryo-
dhana, do thou lay to heart the words that I say. Bhishma always
blameth us, and praiseth the Pandavas. And from the ill-will he beareth
towards thee, he hateth me also. And, O lord of men, in thy presence
he ever crieth me down. I shall never, O Bharata, bear these words
that Bhishma had said in thy presence in relation to this matter, extoll-
ing the Pandavas, and censuring thee, O represser of foes ! Do thou,
O king, enjoin on me, together with servants, forces, and cars. I shall,
0 monarch, conquer the earth furnished with mountains and woods and
forests. The earth had been conquered by the four powerful Pandavas.
1 shall, without doubt, conquer it for thee single-handed. Let that
wretch of the Kuru race, the exceedingly wicked-minded Bhishma, see
it, — he who vilifies those that do not deserve censure, and praises those
that should not be praised. Let him this day witness my might, and
blame himself. Do thou, O king, command me. Victory shall surely
be thine. By my weapon, O monarch, I swear this before thee.'
"O king, O bull of the Bharata race, hearing those words of Kama,
that lord of men, experiencing the highest delight, spoke unto Kama,
saying, *I am blessed. I have been favoured by thee, — since thou,
endued with great strength, art ever intent on my welfare. My life hath
borne fruit, to-day. As thou, O hero, intendest to subdue all our enemies,
repair thou. May good betide thee ! Do thou command me (what I am
to do).1 O subduer of foes, having been thus addressed by Dhritarash-
tra's intelligent son, Kama ordered all the necessaries for the excursion.
And on an auspicious lunar day, at an auspicious moment, and under
the influence of a star presided ov er by an auspicious deity, that mighty
bowman, having been honoured by twice-born ones, and been bathed
with auspicious and holy substances and also worshipped by speech* set
out, filling with the rattle of his car the three worlds, with their mobile
and immobile objects."
SECTION CCLII
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana continued, "Then, O bull among the Bharatas,
that mighty bowman, Kama, surrounded by a large army, beseiged the
beautiful city of Drupada. And he, after a hard conflict, brought the
hero under subjection, and, O best of monarchs, made Drupada con-
tribute silver and gold and gems, and also pay tribute. And, O foremost
of kings, having subdued him, (Kama) brought under subjection those
princes that were under him (Drupada) and made them pay tribute.
Then going to the north, he subdued the sov ereigns (of that quarter)
and having effected the defeat of Bhagadatta, Radha's son ascended that
mighty mountain Himavat, all along fighting his foes. And ranging" all
sides, he conquered and brought under subjection all the kings inhabit-
ing the Himavat, and made them pay dues. Then descending from the
mountain and rushing to the east, he reduced the Angas, and the Bangas,
and the Kalingas, and the Mandikas, and the Magadhas, the Karka-
khandas ; and also included with them the Avasiras, Yodhyas, and the
Ahikshatras. Having (thus) conquered the eastesn quarter Kama then
presented himself before Batsa-bhumi. And having taken Batsa-bhumi,
he reduced Kevali, and Mrittikavati, and Mohana and Patrana, and
Trtpura, and Kosala, — and compelled all these to pay tribute. Then
going to the south, Kama vanquished the mighty charioteers (of that
quarter) ; and in Dakshinatya, the Suta's son entered into conflict with
Rukmi. After hav ing fought dreadfully, Rukmi spake to the Suta's son
saying, 'O foremost of monarchs, I have been pleased with thy might
and prowess. I shall not do thee wrong : I have only fulfilled the vow
of a Kshatriya. Gladly will I give thee as many gold coins as thou
desirest.' Having met with Rukmi, Kama, repaired to Pandya and the
mountain, Sri. And by fighting, he made Karala, king Nila, Venudari's
son, and other best of kings living in the southern direction pay tribute.
Then going to Sisupala's son, the son of the Suta defeated him and that
highly powerful one also brought under his sway all the neighbouring
rulers. And, O bull of the Bharata race, having subjugated the Avantis
and concluded peace with them, and having met with the Vrishnis, he
conquered the west. And, hav ing come to the quarter of Varuna, he
made all the Yavana and Varvara kings pay tribute. And, having con-
quered the entire earth — east, west, north and south — that hero without
any aid brought under subjection all the nations of the Mlechchhas, the
mountaineers, the Bhadras, the Rohitakas, the Agneyas and the Mala-
vas. And, having conquered the mighty charioteers, headed by the
Nagnajitas, the Suta's son brought the Sasakas and the Yavanas under
his sway. Having thus conquered and brought under his subjection the
540 MAHABHAEATA
world, the mighty charioteer and tiger among men came (back) to
Hastinapura. That lord of men, Dhritarashtra's son, accompanied by
his father and brothers and friends, came to that mighty bowman, who
had arrived, and duly paid homage unto Kama crowned with martial
merit. And the king proclaimed his feats, saying, 'What I have not
received from either Bhishma, or Drona, or Kripa, or Vahlika, I have
received from thee. May good betide thee ! What need of speaking at
length ! Hear my words, O Kama ! In thee, O chief of men, I have
my refuge, O mighty-armed one. O tiger among men, without doubt all
the Pandavas and the other kings crowned with prosperity, come not to
a sixteenth part of thee. Do thou, O mighty bowman, O Kama, see
Dhritarashtra, and the illustrious Gandhari, as the bearer of the
thunderbolt did Aditi.'
"Then, O king, there arose in the city of Hastinapura a clamour,
and sounds of Oh I and Alas ! and, O lord of men, some of the kings
praised him ( Kama), while others censured him, while others, again,
remained silent. Hav ing thus, O foremost of monarchs, in a short
time conquered this earth furnished with mountains and forests and
skies, and with oceans, and fields, and filled with high and low tracts,
and cities, and replete also with islands, O lord of earth, and brought
the monarchs under subjection, — and having gained imperishable wealth,
the Suta's son appeared before the king. Then, O represser of foes,
entering into the interior of the palace that hero saw Dhritarashtra
with Gandhari, O tiger among men, that one conversant with morality
took hold of his feet even like a son. And Dhritarashtra embraced him
affectionately, and then dismissed him. Ev er since that time, O monarch,
O Bharata, king Duryodhana and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, thought
that Pritha's sons had already been defeated in battle by Kama."
SECTION CCLIII
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampay ana continued, "O king, O lord of men, that slayer of
hostile heroes, the Suta's son, said these words to Duryodhana, 'O
Kaurava Duryodhana, do thou lay unto thy heart the words that I shall
tell thee; and, O repressor of foes, after having heard my words.it
behoveth thee to act accordingly every way. Now, O best of monarchs,
O hero, hath the earth been rid of foes. Do thou rule her even like the
mightyminded Sakra himself, having his foes destroyed,"
Vaisampayana continued, "Having been thus addressed by Kama,
the king again spake unto him, saying, 'O bull among men, nothing
whatever is unattainable to him who hath thee for refuge, and to whom
thou art attached and on whose welfare thou art entirely intent. Now,
VANA PABVA 541
I have a purpose, which do thou truly listen to. Having beheld that
foremost of sacrifices, the mighty Rajasuya, performed by the Pandavas,
a desire hath sprung up in me (to celebrate the same). Do thou, O
Suta's son, fulfil this desire of mine.' Thus addressed, Kama spake thus
unto the king, 'Now that all the rulers of the earth have been brought
under thy subjection, do thou summon the principal Brahmanas, and,
O best of Kurus, duly procure the articles required for the sacrifice.
And, O represser of foes, let Ritwijas as prescribed, and versed in the
Vedas, celebrate thy rites according to the ordinance, O king. And, O
bull of the Bharata race, let thy great sacrifice also, abounding in meats
and drinks, and grand with parts, commence.'
"O king, having been thus addressed by Kama, Dhritarashtra's son
summoned the priest, and spake unto him these words, 'Do thou duly
and in proper order celebrate for me that best of sacrifices, the Rajasuya
furnished with excellent DahsJiinas? Thus accosted, that best of Brah-
manas spake unto the king, saying, 'O foremost of the Kauravas, while
Yudhishthira is living, that best of sacrifices cannot be performed in
thy family, O Prince of kings ! Further, O monarch, thy father Dhrita-
rashtra, endued with long life, liveth- For this reason also, O best of
kings, this sacrifice cannot be undertaken by thee. There is, O lord,
another great sacrifice, resembling the Rajasuya. Do thou, O foremost
of kings, celebrate that sacrifice. Listen to these words of mine. All
these rulers of the earth, who have, O king, become tributary to thee,
will pay thee tribute in gold, both pure and impure. Of that gold, do
thou, O best of monarchs, now make the ( sacrificial ) plough, and do
thou, O Bharata, plough the sacrificial compound with it. At that
spot, let there commence, O foremost of kings, with due rites, and
without any disturbance the sacrifice, sanctified with mantras abounding
in edibles. The name of that sacrifice worthy of virtuous persons, is
Vaishnava. - No person save the ancient Vishnu hath performed it
before. This mighty sacrifice vies with that best of sacrifices — the Raja-
suya itself. And, further, it liketh us — and it is also for thy welfare (to
celebrate it). And, morever, it is capable of being celebrated without
any disturbance. (By undertaking this), thy desire will be fulfilled.'
"Hav ing been thus addressed by those Brahmanas, Dhritarashtra's
son, the king, spake these words to Kama, his brothers and the son of
Suvala, 'Beyond doubt, the words of the Brahmanas are entirely liked
by me. If they are relished by you also, express it without delay.' Thus
appealed, they all said unto the king, 'So be it.' Then the king one by
one appointed persons to their respective tasks; and desired all the
artisans to construct the (sacrificial) plough. And, O best of kings, all
that had been commanded to be done, was gradually executed."
SECTION CCLIV
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana continued, "Then all the artisans, the principal
counsellors, and the highly wise Vidura said unto Dhritarashtra's son,
4 All the preparations for the excellent sacrifice have been made, O king ;
and the time also hath come, O Bharata. And the exceedingly precious
golden plough hath been constructed ' Hearing this, O monarch, that
bast of kings, Dhritarashtra's son commanded that prime among sacri-
fices to be commenced. Then commenced that sacrifice sanctified by
mantras, and abounding in edibles, and the son of Gandhari was duly
initiated according to the ordinance. And Dhritarashtra, and the
illustrious Vidura, and Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa, and Kama, and
the celebrated Gandhari experienced great delight. And, O foremost
of kings, Duryodhana despatched swift messengers to inv ite the prin-
ces and the Brahmanas. And mounting fleet vehicles they went to
the (respective) directions assigned to them. Then to a certain messen-
ger on the point of setting out, Dussasana said, 'Go thou speedily to
the woods of Diuaita ; and in that forest duly invite the Brahmanas and
those wicked persons, the Pandavas.' Thereupon, he repaired thither,
and bowing down to all the Pandavas, said, 'Having acquired immense
wealth by his native prowess, that best of kings and foremost of Kurus,
Duryodhana, O monarch, is celebrating a sacrifice. Thither are going
from various directions the kings and the Brahmanas. O king, I have
been sent by the high-souled Kaurava. That king and lord of men,
Dhritarashtra's son, invites you. It behoveth you, therefore, to witness
the delightful sacrifice of that monarch.'
"Hearing these words of the messenger, that tiger among kings, the
royal Yudhishthira, said, 'By good luck it is that that enhancer of the
glory of his ancestors, king Suyodhana is celebrating this best of sacri-
fices. We should certainly repair thither ; but we cannot do now ; for
till (the completion of) the thirteenth year, we shall have to observe
our vow.' Hearing this speech of Yudhishthira the just, Bhima said these
word, 'Then will king Yudhishthira the just go thither, when he will
cast him (Duryodhana) into the fire kindled by weapons. Do thou say
unto Suyodhana, 'When after the expiration of the thirteenth year, that lord
of men, the Pandava, luill, in the sacrifice of battle, pour upon the Dhritarash-
tras, the clarified butter of his ire, then will I come f But the other
Pandavas, O king, did not say anything unpleasant. The messenger
(on his return) related unto Dhritarashtra's son all as it had fallen out.
Then there came to the city of Dhritarashtra many foremost of men,
lords of various countries, and highly virtuous Brahmanas. And duly
VANA PARVA 543
received in order according to the ordinance, those lords of men expe-
rienced great delight and were all wellpleased. And that foremost
among monarchs— Dhritar ash tr a —surrounded by all the Kauravas,
experienced the height of joy, and spake unto Vidura, saying, 4Do thou,
O Kshatta, speedily so act that all persons in the sacrificial compound
may be served with food, be refreshed and satisfied.' Thereupon, O
represser of foes, assenting to that order, the learned Vidura versed in
morality, cheerfully entertained all the orders in proper measure with
meat and beverages to eat and drink, and fragrant garland and various
kinds of attire. And having constructed pavilions (for their accommo-
dation), that hero and foremost of kings, duly entertained the princes
and the Brahmanas by thousands, and also bestowing upon them wealth
of various kinds, bade them farewell. And having dismissed all the
kings, he entered Hastinapura, surrounded by his brothers, and in
company with Kama and Suvala's son.' '
SECTION CCLV
( Ghosha-yatra Parva continued )
Vaisampayana said, "While, O great king, Duryodhana was
entering (the city), the panegyrists eulogized the prince of unfailing
prowess. And others also eulogized that mighty bowman and foremost
of kings. And sprinkling over him fried paddy and sandal paste, the
citizens said, 'By good luck it is, O king, that thy sacrifice hath been
completed without obstruction.' And some, more reckless of speech,
that were present there, said unto that lord of the earth, 'Surely this thy
sacrifice cannot be compared with Yudhishthira's : nor doth this come
up to a sixteenth part of that (sacrifice).' Thus spake unto that king
some that were reckless of consequences. His friends, however, said,
'This sacrifice of thine hath surpassed all others. Yayati and Nahusha,
and Mandhata and Bharata, having been sanctified by celebrating such
a sacrifice, have all gone to heaven.' Hearing such agreeable words from
his friends, that monarch, O bull of the Bharata's race, wellpleased,
entered the city and finally his own abode. Then, O king, worshipping
the feet of his father and mother and of others headed by Bhishma,
Drona and Kripa, and of the wise Vidura, and worshipped in turn by
his younger brothers, that delighter of brothers sat down upon an ex-
cellent seat, surrounded by the latter. And the Suta's son, rising up,
said, 'By good luck it is, O foremost of the Bharata race, that this
mighty sacrifice of thine hath been brought to a close. When,
however, the sons of Pritha shall have been slain in battle and
thou wilt have completed the Eajasuya sacrifice, once again,
O lord of men, shall I honour thee thus.' Then that mighty king,
544 MAHABHAEATA
the illustrious son of Dhritarashtra, replied unto him, 'Truly hath
this been spoken by thee. When, O foremost of men, the wicked-
minded Pandavas have been slain, and when also the grand Bajasuya
hath been celebrated by me, then thou shalt again, O hero, honour me
thus.' And having said this, O Bharata, the Kaurava embraced Kama,
and began, O mighty king, to think of the Bajasuya, that foremost of
sacrifices. And that best of kings also addressed the Kurus around him,
saying, 'When shall I, ye Kauravas, having slain all the Pandavas,
celebrate that costly and foremost of sacrifices, the Rajasuya' Then
spake Kama unto him, saying, 'Hear me, O elephant among kings ! So
long as I do not slay Arjuna, I shall not allow any one to wash my feet,
nor shall I taste meat. And I shall observe the Asura vow1 and whoever
may solicit me (for any thing), I never shall say, 'I have it not' When
Kama had thus vowed to slay Phalguna in battle, those mighty chariot-
eers and bowmen, the sons of Dhritarashtra, sent up a loud cheer ; and
Dhritarashtra's sons thought that the Pandavas had already been con-
quered. Then that chief of kings, the graceful Duryodhana, leav ing
those bulls among men, entered his apartment, like the lord Kuvera
entering the garden of Chitraratha. And all those mighty bowmen
also, O Bharata, went to their respective quarters.
"Meanwhile those mighty bowmen, the Pandavas, excited by the
words the messenger had spoken, became anxious, and they did not
(from that time) experience the least happiness. Intelligence, further,
O foremost of kings, had been brought by spies regarding the vow of
the Suta's son to slay Vijaya. Hearing this, O lord of men, Dharma's
son became exceedingly anxious. And considering Kama of the impene-
trable mail to be of wonderful prowess, and remembering all their woes,
he knew no peace. And that high-souled one filled with anxiety, made
up his mind to abandon the woods about Dwaitavana abounding with
ferocious animals.
"Meanwhile the royal son of Dhritarashtra began to rule the earth,
along with his heroic brothers as also with Bhishma and Drona and
Kripa. And with the assistance of the Suta's son crowned with martial
glory, Duryodhana remained e v er intent on the welfare of the rulers of
the earth, and he worshipped the foremost of Brahmanas by celebrating
sacrifices with profuse gifts. And that hero and subduer of foes, O
king, was engaged in doing good to his brothers, concluding for certain
in his mind that giving and enjoying are the only use of riches."
1 The vow of the Asuras was ( according to the Burdwan Pundits )
never to drink wine. It is more rational to suppose that Kama swears
to give up the refined manners and practices of the Aryas and adopt those
of the Asuras till the consummation of the cherished desire.
SECTION CCLVI
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Janamejaya said, 'After having delivered Duryodhana, what did
the mighty sons of Pandu do in that forest ? It behoveth thee to tell
me this.'
Vaisampayana said, "Onoe on a time, as Yudhishthira lay down at
night in the Dwaita woods, some deer, with accents choked in tears,
presented themselves before him in his dreams. To them standing with
joined hands, their bodies trembling all over that foremost of monarchs
said, Tell me what ye wish to say. Who are ye ? And what do ye desire ?'
Thus accosted by Kunti's son— the illustrious Pandava, those deer, the
remnant of those that had been slaughtered, replied unto him, saying, 'We
are, 0 Bharata, those deer that are still alive after them that had been
slaughtered. We shall be exterminated totally. Therefore, do thou change
tby residence. O mighty kiug, all thy brothers are heroes, conversant
with weapons ; they have thinned the ranks of the rangers of the forest.
We few — the remnants, — 0 mighty-minded one, remain like seed. By thy
favour, O king of kings, let us increase.1 Seeing these deer, which remained
like seed after the rest had been destroyed trembling and afflicted with
fear, Yudhishtbira the just was greatly affected with grief. And the king,
intent on the welfare of all creatures, said unto them, 'So be it. I shall
aot as ye have said.' Awaking after such a vision, that excellent king,
moved by pity towards the deer, thus spake unto his brothers assembled
there, 'Those deer that are alive after them that have been slaughtered,
accosted me afe night, after I had awakened, saying, 'We remain like the
cues of our lines. Blest be thou ! Do thou have compassion on us. And
they have spoken truly. We ought to feel pity for the dwellers of the
forest. We have been feeding on them for a year together and eight
months. Let us, therefore, again (repair) to the romantic Kamyakas, that
best of forests abounding in wild animals, situated at the head of the
desert, near lake Trinavindu. And there let us pleasantly pass the rest of
our time.' Then, 0 king, the Pandavas versed in morality, swiftly departed
(thence), accompanied by the Brahmanaa and all those that lived with
them, and followed by Indrasena and other retainers. And proceeding
along the roads walked (by travellers), furnished with excellent corn and
clear water, they at length beheld the sacred asylum of Kamyaka endued
with ascetic merit. And as pious men enter the celestial region?, those
foremost of the Bharata race, the Kauravas, surrounded by those bulls
among Brahmanas entered that forest."
SECTION COLVII
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Vaisampayana continued, "Dwelling in the woods, O bull of the
Bharata race, the high-souled Pandavas spent one and ten years in a miser-
able plight. And although deserving of happiness, those foremost of men,
brooding over their circumstances, passed their days miserably, living on
fruits and roots. And that royal sage, the mighty-armed Yudhishthira,
reflecting that the extremity of misery that had befallen his brothers, was
owing to his own fault, and remembering those sufferings that had arisen
from his act of gambling, could not sleep peacefully. And he felt as if bis
heart had been pierced with a lance. And remembering the harsh words of
the Suta's son, the Paudav^a, repressing the venom of his wrath, passed
his time in humble guise, sighing heavily. And Arjuna and both the twins
and the illustriojs Draupadi, and the mighty Bhima — he that was
strongest of all men — experienced tbe most poignant pain in casting their
eyes on Yudhishthira. And thinking that a short time only remained (of
their exile), those bulls among men, influenced by rage and hope and by
resorting to various exertions and endeavours, made their bodies assume
almost different shapes.
"After a little while, that mighty ascetic, Vyasa, the son of Satyavati,
came there to see the Pandavas. And seeing him approach, Kunti's son,
Yildhishthira, stepped forward, and duly received that high-souled one.
And having gratified Vyasa by bowing down unto him, Pandu's son of sub-
dued senses, after the Bishi had been seated, sat down before him, desirous
of listening to him. And beholding his grandsons lean and living in the
forest on the produce of the wilderness, that mighty sage, moved by com-
passion, said these words, in accents choked in tears, '0 mighty-armed
Yudhishthira, O thou best of virtuous persons, those men that do not
perform ascetic austerities never attain great happiness in this world.
People experience happiness and misery by turns ; for surely, O bull among
men, no man ever enjoyeth unbroken happiness. A wise man endued with
high wisdom, knowing that life hath its ups and downs, is neither filled
with joy nor with grief. When happiness ccmetb, one should enjoy it ;
when misery cometh, one should bear it, as a sower of crops must bide his
season. Nothing is superior to asceticism : by asceticism one acquireth
mighty fruit. Do thou know, O Bharata, that there is nothing that asceti-
cism cannot achieve. Truth, sincerity, freedom from anger, justice, self-
control, restraint of the faculties, immunity from malice, guilelessness,
sanctity, and mortification of the senses — these, O mighty monarch, purify
a person of meritorious acts. Foolish persons addicted to vice and bestial
ways, attain to brutish births in after life and never enjoy happiness. The
fruit of acts done in this world is reaped in the next. Therefore should one
restrain his body by asceticism and the observance of vows. And, 0 king,
free from guile and with a cheerful spirit, one should, according to his power,
VANA PABVA 547
bestow gifts, after going down to the recipient and paying him homage.
A truth-telling person afctaineth a life devoid of trouble. A person void of
anger attaineth sincerity, and one free from malice acquireth supreme con-
tentment. A person who hath subdued his senses and his inner faculties,
never knoweth tribulation j nor is a person of subdued senses affected by
sorrow at the height of other's prosperity. A man who giveth every one his
due, and the bestower of boons, attain happiness, and come by every object
of enjoyment ; while a man free from envy reapeth perfect ease. He that
honoureth those to whom honour is due, attaineth birth in an illustrious
line '} and he that hath subdued his senses, never cometh by misfortune.
A man whose mind followeth good, after having paid his debt to nature, is
on this account, born again endued with a righteous mind.1
"Yudhishthira said, '0 eminently virtuous one, 0 mighty sage, of the
bestowal of gifts and the observance of asceticism, which is of greater
efficacy in the next world, and which, harder of practice ?'
"Vyaaa said, 'There is nothing, O child, in this world harder to
practise than charity. Men greatly thirst after wealth, and wealth also is
gotten with difficulty. Nay, renouncing even dear life itself, heroic men, O
magnanimous one, ente^ into the depths of the sea and the forest for the
sake of wealth. For wealth, some betake themselves to agriculture and the
tdudiug of kine, and some enter into servitude. Therefore, it is extremely
difficult to part with wealth that is obtained with such trouble. Since
nothing is harder to practise than charity, therefore, in my opinion, even
the bestowal of boons is superior to everything. Specially is this to be
borne in mind that well-earned gains should, in proper time and place, be
given away to pious men. But the bestowal of ill-gotten gains can never
rescue the giver from the evil of rebirth. It hath been declared, 0 Yudhish-
thira, that by bestowing, in a purj spirit, even a slight gift in due time and
to a fit recipient, a man attaineth inexhaustible fruit in the next world. In
this connection is instanced the old story regarding the fruit obtained by
Mudgala, for having given away only a drona* of corn.1 "
SECTION OOLVIII
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
Yudhishthira said, "Why did that high-souled one give away a drona
of corn ? And, 0 eminently pious one, to whom and iu what prescribed
way did he give it ? Do thou tell me this. Surely, I consider the life of
that virtuous person as having borne fruit with whose practices the posses-
sor himself of the six attributes, witnessing everything, was well-pleased/
11 Vyasa said, 'There lived, O king, in Kurukshetra a virtuous man (sage),
Mudgala by name. And he was truthful, and free from malice, and of
subdued senses. And he used to lead the Sila and Unchha modes of life.J
* A very small measure.
J Picking up for support (1) ears of corn and (2) individual grains,
left on the field by husbandmen after they have gathered and carried away
the sheaves, are called the Sila and the Uuchha modes of life.
560 MAHABHARATA
And although living like a pigeon, yet that one of mighty austerities
entertained bis guests, celebrated the sacrifice called Istikrita, and per-
formed other rites. And that sage together with bis son and wife, ate
for a fortnight, and during the other fortnight led the life of a pigeon, collect-
ing a drona of corn. And celebrating the Dar$a and Paurnamasya sacrifices,
that one devoid of guile, used to pass his days by Baking the food that
remained after the deities and the guests had eaten. And on auspicious
lunar days, that lord of the three worlds, Indra himself, accompanied by
the celestials used, O mighty monarch, to partake of the food offered at his
sacrifice. And that one, having adopted the life of & Muni, with a cheerful
heart entertained bis guests also with food on such days. And as that
high-souled one distributed bis food with alacrity, the remainder of the
drona of corn increased as soon as a guest appeared. And by virtue of the
pure spirit in which tbe sage gave a way, that food of bis increased so much
that hundreds upon hundreds of learned Brahmanas were fed with it.
"And, O king, ib came to pass that having heard of the virtuous
Mudgala observant of vows, the Muni Durvasa, having space alone for his
covering,* his accoutrements worn like that of maniac, and his bead bare
of hair, came there, uttering, O Pandava, various insulting words. And
having arrived there that best of Munis said unto tbe Brahmana, 'Know
thou, 0 foremost of Brahmanas, that I have come hither seeking for food.
Thereupon Mudgala said unto the sage, 'Thou art welcome 1' And then
offering to that maniac of an ascetic affected by hunger, water to wash bis
feet and mouth, that one observant of the vow of feeding guests, respect-
fully placed before him excellent fare. Affected by hunger, the frantic iiisbi
completely exhausted tbe food that had been offered unto him. Thereupon,
Mudgala furnished him again with food. Then having eaten up all that
food, be besmeared bis body with tbe unclean orts and went away as be
bad come. In this manner, during the next season, he came again and ate
up all the food supplied by that wise one leading the Unchha mode of life.
Thereupon, without partaking any food himself, tbe sage Mudgala again
became engaged in collecting corn, following the Unchha mode. Hunger
could not disturb his equanimity. Nor could anger, nor guile, nor a
sense of degradation, nor agitation, enter into the heart of that best of
Brahmanas leading tbe Unchha mode of life along with bis son and his wife.
In this way, Durvasa having made up his mind, during successive seasons
presented himself for six several times before that best of pages living
according to the Unchha mode ; yet that Muni could not perceive any agita.
tion in Mudgala's heart ; and he found the pure heart of tbe pure-souled
ascetic always pure. Thereupon, well-pleased, tbe sage addressed Mudgala,
saying, 'There is not another guileless and charitable being like thee on
earth. The pangs of hunger drive away to a distance the sense of righte-
* Naked.
VANA PABVA 561
ousness and deprive people of all patience. The tongue, loving delicacies,
attracteth men towards them. Life is sustained by food. The mind, more-
over, is fickle, and ib is hard to keep it in subjection. The concentration of
the mind and of the senses surely constitutes ascetic austerities. It must
be hard to renounce in a pure spirit a thing earned by pains. Yet,
0 pious one, all this hath been duly achieved by thee. In thy company
we feel obliged and gratified. Self-restraint, fortitude, justice, control of
the senses and of faculties, mercy, and virtue, all these are established in
thee. Thou hast by the deeds conquered the different worlds and have
thereby obtained admission into paths of beatitude. Ah ! even the dwellers
of heaven are proclaiming thy mighty deeds of charity. 0 thou observant of
vows, thou shalt go to heaven even in thine own body.
"Whilst the Muni Durvasa was speaking thus, a celestial messenger
appeared before Mudgala, upon a car yoked with swans and cranes, hung
with a neat work of bells, scented with divine fragrance, painted pictures-
quely, and possessed of the power of going everywhere at will. And he
addressed the Brahmana sage, saying, *0 sage, do thou ascend into this
chariot earned by thy acts. Thou hast attained the fruit of thy asceticism 1'
"As the messenger of the gods was speaking thus, the sage told him,
CO divine messenger, I desire that thou mayst describe unto me the attri-
butes of those that reside there. What are their austerities, and what
their purposes ? And, 0 messenger of the gods, what constitutes happiness
in heaven, and what are the disadvantages thereof ? It is declared by
virtuous men of good lineage that friendship with pious people is contracted
by only walking with them seven paces. 0 lord, in the name of that friend-
ship I ask thee, 'Do thou without hesitation tell me the truth, and that
which is good for me now. Having heard thee, I shall, according to thy
words, ascertain the course I ought to follow.' "
SECTION CCLIX
(Ghosha-yatra Parva continued)
"The messenger of the gods said, '0 great sage, thou art of simple
understanding ; since, having secured that celestial bliss which bringeth
great honour, thou art still deliberating like an unwise person. 0 Muni,
that region which is known as heaven, existeth there above us. Those
regions tower high, and are furnished with excellent paths, and are, 0 sage,
always ranged by celestial cars. Atheists, and untruthful persons, those
that have not practised ascetic austerities and those that have not performed
great sacrifices, cannot repair thither. Only men of virtuous souls, and those
of subdued spirits, and those that have their faculties in subjection, and
those that have controlled their senses, and those that are free from malice,
and persons intent on the practice of charity ; and heroes, and men
bearing marks of battle, after having, with subdued senses and faculties,
39-72
562 MAHABHABATA
performed the most meritorious rites, attain those regions, O Brahmana,
capable of being obtained only by virtuous acts, and inhabited by pious
men. There, O Mudgala, aro established separately myriads of beautiful,
shining, and resplendent worlds bestowing every object of desire, owned by
those celestial beings, the gods, the Sadhyas, and the Vaiswas, the great
sages, Yamas, and the Dharmas, and the Gandharvas and the Apsaras.
And there is that monarch of mountains the golden Meru extending over
a space of thirty-three thousand Yojanas. And there, 0 Mudgala, are the
sacred gardens of the celestials, with Nandana at their head, where sport
the persons of meritorious acts. And neither hunger, nor thirst, nor lassi-
tude, nor fear, nor anything that is disgusting or inauspicious is there. And
all the odours of that place are delightful, and all the breezes delicious to
the touch. And all the sounds there are captivating, 0 sage, to the ear
and the heart. And neither grief, nor decrepitude, nor labour, nor repen-
tance also is there. That world, O Muni, obtained as the fruit of one's own
acts, is of this nature. Persons repair thither by virtue of their meritorious
deeds. And the persons of those that dwell there look resplendent, and this,
0 Mudgala, solely by virtue of their own acts, and not owing to the merits
of father or mothers. And there is neither sweat, nor stench, nor urine there.
And, there, O Muni, dust doth not soils one's garments. And their
excellent garlands, redolent of divine fragrance, never fade. And, 0 Brah-
mana, they yoke such cars as this ( that I have brought ). And, O mighty
sage, devoid of envy and grief and fatigue and ignorance and malice, men
who have attained heaven, dwell in those regions happily. And, O bull
among Munis, higher and higher over such regions there are others endued
with higher celestial virtues- Of these, the beautiful and resplendent
regions of Brahma are the foremost. Thither, O Brahmana, repair Rishis
that have been sanctified by meritorious acts. And there dwell certain
beings named Ribhus. They are the gods of the gods themselves. Their
regions are supremely blessed, and are adored even by the deities. These
shine by their own light, and bestow every object of desire. They suffer
no pangs that women might cause, do not possess worldly wealth, and are
free from guile. The Ribhus do not subsist on oblations, nor yet on ambrosia.
And they are endued with such celestial forms that they cannot be per-
ceived by the senses. And these eternal gods of the celestials do not desire
happiness for happiness' sake, nor do they change at the revolution of a
Kalpa. Where, indeed, is their decrepitude or dissolution ? For them there
is neither ecstasy, nor joy, nor happiness. They have neither happiness
nor misery. Wherefore should they have anger or aversion then, O
Muni ? 0 Mudgala, their supreme state is coveted even by the gods. And
that crowning emancipation, hard to attain, can never be acquired by
people subject to desire. The number of those deities is thirty-three. To
their regions repair wise men, after having observed excellent vows, or
VANA PARVA 563
bestowed gifts according to the ordinance. Thou also hast easily acquired
that success by thy charities. Do thou, by effulgence displayed by virtue
of thy ascetic austerities, enjoy that condition obtained by thy meritorious
acts. Such, 0 Brahmana, is the bliss of heaven containing various worlds.
"Thus have I described unto thee the blessing of the celestial
regions. Do thou now hear from me some of the disadvantages thereof.
That in the celestial regions a person, while reaping the fruit of the acts he
hath already performed, cannot be engaged in any others, and that he
must enjoy the consequences of the former until they are completely ex-
hausted, and, further, that he is subject to fall after he hath entirely
exhausted his merit, form, in my opinion, the disadvantages of heaven.
The fall of a person whose mind hath been steeped in happiness, must, O
Mudgala, be pronounced as a fault. And the discontent and regret that must
follow one's stay at an inferior seat after one hath enjoyed more auspicious
and brighter regions, must be hard to bear. And the consciousness of
those about to fall is stupefied, and also agitated by emotions. And as the
garlands of those about to fall fade away, fear invadeth their hearts. These
mighty drawbacks, O Mudgala, extend even to the regions of Brahma. In
the celestial regions, the virtues of men who have performed righteous acts,
are countless. And, 0 Muni, this is another of the attributes of the fallen
that, by reason, of their merits, they take birth among men. And then they
attain to high fortune and happiness. If one, however, cannot acquire
knowledge here, one cometh by an inferior birth. The fruits of acts done in
this world are reaped in the next. This world, O Brahmana, hath been
declared to be one of acts ; the others, as one of fruit. Thus have I, 0
Mudgala, asked by thee, described all unto thee. Now, 0 pious one, with
thy favour, we shall easily set out with speed.'
"Vyasa continued, 'Having heard this speech, Mudgala began to
reflect in his mind. And having deliberated well, that best of Munis spake
thus unto the celestial messenger, '0 messenger of the gods, I bow unto
thee. Do thou, 0 sire, depart in peace. I have nothing to do with either
happiness, or heaven having such prominent defects. Persons who enjoy
heaven suffer, after all, huge misery and extreme regret in this world.
Therefore, I do not desire heaven. I shall seek for that unfailing region
repairing whither people have not to lament, or to be pained, or agitated.
Thou hast described unto me these great defects belonging to the celestial
regions. Do thou now describe unto me a region free from faults.' There-
upon the celestial messenger said, 'Above the abode of Brahma, there is
the supreme seat of Vishnu, pure, and eternal, and luminous known by
the name of Para Brahma. Thither, 0 Brahmana, cannot repair persons
who are attached to the objects of the senses : nor can those subject to
arrogance, covetousness, ignorance, anger, and envy, go to that place.
It is only those that are free from affection, and those free from pride, and
564 MAflABHA&ATA
those free from conflicting emotions, and those that have restrained their
senses, and those given to contemplation and Yoga, that can repair thither.'
Having heard these words, the Muni bade farewell to the celestial
messenger, and that virtuous one leading the Unchha mode of life, assumed
perfect contentment. And then praise and dispraise became equal unto
him ; and a brickbat, stone, and gold assumed the same aspect in his eyes.
And availing himself of the means of attaining Brahma, he became always
engaged in meditation. And having obtained power by means of knowledge,
and acquired excellent understanding, he attained that supreme state of
emancipation which is regarded as Eternal. Therefore, thou also, 0 Kunti's
son, ought not to grieve. Deprived thou hast truly been of a flourishing
kingdom, but thou wilt regain it by thy ascetic austerities. Misery after
happiness, and happiness after misery, revolve by turns round a man even
like the point of a wheel's circumference round the axle. After the
thirteenth year hath passed away, thou wilt, 0 thou of immeasurable
might, get back the kingdom possessed before thee by thy father and grand-
father. Therefore, let the fever of thy heart depart !' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Having said this to Panda's son, the
worshipful Vyasa went back to his hermitage for the purpose of performing
austerities."
SECTION CCLX
( Ghosha-yatra Parva continued )
Janamejaya said, "While the high-souled Pandavas were living in
those wcods, delighted with the pleasant conversation they held with the
Munis, and engaged in distributing the food they obtained from the sun,
with various kinds of venison to Brahmanas and others that came to them
for edibles till the hour of Krishna's meal, how, O great Muni, did Duryo-
dhana and the other wicked and sinful sons of Dhritarashtra, guided by the
counsels of Dussasana, Kama and Sakuni, deal with them ? I ask thee
this. Do thou, worshipful Sir, enlighten me."
Vaisampayana said, "When, 0 great king, Duryodhana heard that the
Pandavas were living as happily in the woods as in a city, he longed, with
the artful Kama, Dussasana and others, to do them harm. And while those
evil-minded persons were employed in concerting various wicked designs,
the virtuous and celebrated ascetic Durvasa, following the bent of his own
will, arrived at the city of the Kurus with ten thousand disciples. And
seeing the irascible ascetic arrived, Duryodhana and his brothers welcomed
him with great humility, self-abasement and gentleness. And himself
attending on the Eishi as a menial, the prince gave him a right worshipful
reception. And the illustrious Muni stayed there for a few days, while
king Duryodhana, watchful of his imprecations, attended on him diligently
by day and night. And sometimes the Muni would say, 'I am hungry, 0
VAN A PABVA 565
king, give me some food quickly.' And sometimes he would go out for a
bath and, returning at a late hour, would say, 'I shall not eat anything
today as I have no appetite,' and so saying would disappear from his sight.
And sometimes, coming all on a sudden, he would say, 'Feed us quickly.'
And at other times, bent on some mischief, he would awake at midnight
and having caused his meals to be prepared as before, would carp at them
and not partake of them at all. And trying the prince in this way for a
while, when the Muni found that the king Duryodhana was neither angered,
nor annoyed, he became graciously inclined towards him. And then, O
Bharata, the intractable Durvasa said unto him, 'I have power to grant
thee boons. Thou mayst ask of me whatever lies nearest to thy heart.
May good fortune be thine. Pleased as I am with thee, thou mayst obtain
from me anything that is not opposed to religion and morals.'
Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these words of the great ascetici
Suyodhana felt himself to be inspired with new life. Indeed, it had been
agreed upon between himself and Kama and Dussasana as to what the
boon should be that he would ask of the Muni if the latter were pleased
with his reception. And the evil-minded king, bethinking himself of what
had previously been decided, joyfully solicited the following favour, saying,
'The great king Yudhishthira is the eldest and the best of our race.
That pious man is now living in the forest with his brothers. Do thou,
therefore, once become the guest of that illustrious one even as, O Brah-
mana, thou hast with thy disciples been mine for some time. If thou art
minded to do me a favour, do thou go unto him at a time when that
delicate and excellent lady, the celebrated princess of Panchala, after
having regaled with food the Brahmanas, her husbands and herself, may lie
down to rest.' The Bishi replied, 'Even so shall I act for thy satisfaction.'
And having said this to Suyodhana, that great Brahmana, Durvasa, went
away in the very same state in which he had come. And Suyodhana
regarded himself to have attained all the objects of his desire. And holding
Kama by the hand he expressed great satisfaction. And Kama, too, joy-
fully addressed the king in the company of his brothers, saying, 'By a
piece of singular good luck, thou hast fared well and attained the objects of
thy desire. And by good luck it is that thy enemies have been immersed
in a sea of dangers that is difficult to cross. The sons of Pandu are now
exposed to the fire of Durvasa's wrath. Through their own fault they have
fallen into an abyss of darkness.' "
Vaisampayana continued, "0 king, expressing their satisfaction in
this strain, Duryodhana and others, bent on evil machinations, returned
merrily to their respective homes."
SECTION CCLXI
( Draupadi-harana Parva )
Vaisampayana said, "One- day, having previously ascertained that
the Pandavas were all seated at their ease and that Krishna was reposing
herself after her meal, the sage Durvasa, surrounded by ten thousand
disciples repaired to that forest. The illustrious and upright king Yudhish-
565 MAEABHA&ATA
thira, seeing that guest arrived, advanced with his brothers to receive him.
And joining the palms of his hands and pointing to a proper and excellent
seat, he accorded the Rishi a fit and respectful welcome. And the king
said unto him, 'Eeturn quick, 0 adorable sir, after performing thy diurnal
ablutions and observances.' And that sinless Muni, not knowing how the
king would be able to provide a feast for him and his disciples, proceeded
with the latter to perform his ablutions. And that host of the Muni, of sub-
dued passions, went into the stream for performing their ablutions.
Meanwhile, O king, the excellent princess Draupadi, devoted to her hus-
bands, was in great anxiety about the food ( to be provided for the Munis ).
And when after much anxious thought she came to the conclusion that
means there were none for providing a feast, she in .vardly prayed to
Krishna, the slayer of Kansa. And the princess said, 'Krishna, 0 Krishna,
of mighty arms, 0 son of Devaki, whose power is inexhaustible, O Vasu-
deva, O lord of the Universe, who dispellest the difficulties of those that
bow down to thee, thou art the soul, the creator and the destroyer of the
Universe. Thou, 0 lord, art inexhaustible and the saviour of the afflicted.
Thou art the preserver of the Universe and of all created beings. Thou art
the highest of the high, and the spring of the mental perceptions Akuli and
Chiti !' O Supreme and Infinite Being, 0 giver of all good, be thou the
refuge of the helpless. O Primordial Being, incapable of being conceived
by the soul or the mental faculties or otherwise, thou art the ruler of all
and the lord of Brahma. I seek thy protection. 0 god, thou art ever
kindly disposed towards those that take refuge in thee. Do thou cherish
me with thy kindness. O thou with a complexion dark as the leaves of the
blue lotus, and with eyes red as the corolla of the lily, and attired in yellow
robes with, besides, the bright Kaustubha gem in thy bosom, thou art the
beginning and the end of creation, and the great refuge of all. Thou art
the supreme light and essence of the Universe ! Thy face is directed towards
every point. They call thee Supreme Germ and the depository of all
treasures. Under thy protections, 0 lord of the gods, all evils lose their
terror. As thou didst protect me before from Dussasana, do thou extricate
me now from this difficulty.' "
Vaisampayana continued, "The great and sovereign God, and Lord of
the earth, of mysterious movements, the lord Kesava who is ever kind to the
dependents, thou adored by Krishna, and perceiving her difficulty, instantly
repaired to that place leaving the bed of Eukmini who was sleeping by
his side. Beholding V^sudeva, Draupadi bowed down to him in great joy
and informed him of the arrival of the Munis and every other thing. And
having heard everything Krishna said unto her, 'I am very much afflicted
1 Both these words are of doubtful meaning. It seems they are
employed in the Vedas to denote the faculties of knowledge and the moral
sense respectively. — T
VANA PARVA 567
with huDger, do thou give me some food without delay, and then thou
mayst go about thy work.' At these words of Kesava, Krishna became
confused, and replied unto him, saying, 'The sun-given vessel remains
full till I finish my meal. But as I have already taken my meal today,
there is no food in it now. Then that lotus-eyed and adorable being said
unto Krishna, 'This is no timo for jest, 0 Krishna, — I am much distress-
ed with hunger, go thou quickly to fetch the vessel and show it to
me.' When Kosava, that ornament of the Yadu's race, had the vessel
brought unto him,— with such persistence, he looked into it and saw a par-
ticle of rice and vegetable sticking at its rim. And swallowing it he said
unto her, 'May it please the god Hari, the soul of the Universe, and may
that god who partaketh at sacrifices, be satiated with this.' Then the
long-armed Krishna, that soother of miseries, said unto Bhimasena, 'Do
thou speedily invite the Munis to dinner. Then, 0 good king, the cele-
brated Bhimasena quickly went to invite all those Munis, Durvasa and
others, who had gone to the nearest stream of transparent and cool water
to perform their ablutions. Meanwhile, these ascetics, having plunged into
the river, were rubbing their bodies and observing that they all felt their
stomachs to be full. And coming out of the stream, they began to stare at
one another. And turning towards Durvasa, all those ascetics observed,
'Having bade the king make our meals ready, we have corne hither for a
bath. But how, O regenerate Bishit can we eat anything now, for our
stomachs seem to be full to the throat. The repast hath been uselessly
prepared for us. What is the best thing to be done now ?' Durvasa replied,
'By spoiling the repast, we have done a great wrong to that royal sage, king
Yudhishthira. Would not the Pandavas destroy us by looking down upon
us with angry eyes ? I know the royal sage Yudhishthira to be possessed of
great ascetic power. Ye Brahmanas, I am afraid of men that are devoted
to Hari. The high-souled Pandavas are all religious men, learned, war-like,
diligent in ascetic austerities and religious observances, devoted to Vasudeva,
and always observant of rules of good conduct. If provoked, they can
consume us with their wrath as fire doth a bale of cotton. Therefore, ye
disciples, do ye all run away quickly without seeing them (again) !"
Vaisampayana continued, "All those Brahmanas, thus advised by
their ascetic preceptor, became greatly afraid cf the Pandavas, and fled
away in all directions. Then Bhimasena, not beholding those excellent
Munis in the celestial river, made a search after them here and there at all
the landing places. And learning from the ascetics of those places that they
had run away, he came back and informed Yudhishthira of what had
happened. Then all the Pandavas of subdued senses, expecting them to
come, remained awaiting their arrival for some time. And Yudhisthira
said, 'Coming dead of night, the Eishis will deceive us. Oh how,
can we escape from this difficulty created by the facts ?' Boeing them
absorbed in such reflections and breathing long deep sighs at frequent
intervals, the illustrious Krishna suddenly appeared to them and addressed
568 MAHABHABATA
them these words ; 'Knowing, ye sons of Pritha, your danger from that
wrathful Eishi, I was implored by Draupadi to come, and (therefore) have
I come here speedily. But now ye have not the least fear from the Kishi
Durvasa. Afraid of your ascetic powers, he hath made himself scarce ere
this. Virtuous men never suffer. I now ask your permission to let me
return home. May you always be prosperous !' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing Kesava's words, the sons of
Pritha, with Draupadi, became easy in mind. And cured of their fever ( of
anxiety ), they said unto him, 'As persons drowning in the wide ocean
safely reach the shore by means of a boat, so have we, by thy aid, 0 lord
Govinda, escaped from this inextricable difficulty. Do thou now depart
in peace, and may prosperity ba thine.' Thus dismissed, he repaired to
his capital and the Pandavas too, 0 blessed lord, wandering from forest to
forest passed their days merrily with Draupadi. Thus, 0 king, have I
related to thee the story which thou askedest me to repeat. And it was
thus that the machinations of the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra about the
Pandavas in the forest, were frustrated."
SECTION CCLXII
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "These great warriors of the race of Bharata
sojourned like immortals in the great forest of Kamyaka, employed in
hunting and pleased with the sight of numerous wild tracts of country
and wide reaches of woodland, gorgeous with flowers blossoming in season.
And the sons of Pandu, each like unto Indra and the terror of his enemies,
dwelt there for some time. And one day those valiant men, the conquerors
of their foes, went about in all directions in search of game for feeding
the Brahmanas in their company, leaving Draupadi alone at the hermitage,
with the permission of the great ascetic Trinavindu, resplendent with
ascetic grandeur, and of their spiritual guide Dhaumya. Meanwhile, the
famous king of Sindhu, the son of Vriddhakshatra was, with a view to
matrimony, proceeding to the kingdom of Salwa, dressed in his best royal
apparel and accompanied by numerous princes. And the prince halted in
the woods of Kamyaka. And in that secluded place, he found the beauti-
ful Draupadi, the beloved and celebrated wife of the Pandavas, standing
at the threshold of the hermitage. And she looked grand in the superb
beauty of her form, and seemed to shed a lustre on the woodland around,
.like lightning illuminating masses of dark clouds. And they who saw her
asked themselves, 'Is this an Apsara, or a daughter of the gods, or a
celestial phantom ?' And with this thought, their hands also joined to-
gether. They stood gazing on the perfect and faultless beauty of her form.
And Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu, and the son of Vriddhakshatra, struck
with amazement at the sight of that lady of faultless beauty, was seized
with an evil intention . And inflamed with desire, he said to the prince
named Kotika, 'Whose is this lady of faultless form ? Is she of the
human kind ? I have no need to marry if I can secure this exquisitely
beautiful creature. Taking her with me, I shall go back to my abode, Oh
sir, and enquire who she is and whence she has come and why also that
delicate being hath come into this forest beset with thorns. Will this orna-
ment of womankind, this slender-waisted lady of so much beauty, endued
with handsome teeth and large eyes, accept me as her lord ? I shall cer-
tainly regard myself successful, if I obtain the hand of this excellent lady.
Go, Kotika, and enquire who her husband may be-' Thus asked, Kotika,
wearing a Kundala, jumped out of his chariot and came near her, as a
jackal approacheth a tigress, and spake unto her these words.' "
SECTION CCLXIII
( Draupadi-Jiarana Parva continued )
Kofcika said, "Excellent lady, who arb thou that standest alone,
leaning on a branch of the Kadamva tree at this hermitage and looking
grand like a flame of fire blazing at night time, and fanned by the wind ?
Exquisitely beautiful as thou art, how is it that thou feelest not any fear in
these forests ? Metbinks thou art a goddess, or a YaJcshi, or a Danavi,
or an excellent Apsara, or the wife of a Daitya, or a daughter of the Naga
king, or a Bakshasi or the wife of Varuna, or of Yama, or of Soma, or of
Kuvera, who, having assumed a human form, wanderest in these forests.
Or, hast thou come from the mansions of Dhatri, or of Vidhatri, or of
Savitri, or of Vibhu, or of Sakra ? Thou dost not ask us who we are, nor
do we know who protects thee here ! Eespectfully do we ask thee, good
lady, who is thy powerful father, and, O, do tell us truly the names of
thy husband, thy relatives, and thy race, and tell us also what thou dost
here. As for us, I am king Suratha's son whom people know by the name
of Kotika, and that man with eyes large as the petals of the lotus, sitting
on a chariot of gold, like the sacrificial fire on the altar, is the warrior
known by the name of Kshemankara, king of Trigarta. And behind him is
the famous son of the king of Pulinda, who is even now gazing on thee.
Armed with a mighty bow and endued with large eyes, and decorated with
floral wreaths, he always liveth on the breasts of mountains. The dark
and handsome young man, the scourge of his enemies, standing at the
edge of that tank, is the son of Suvala of the race of Ikshwaku. And if,
O excellent lady, thou hast ever heard the name of Jayadratha, the king
of Sauviras, even he is there at the head of six thousand chariots, with
horses and elephants and infantry, and followed by twelve Sauvira princes
as his standard-bearers, named Angaraka, Kunjara, Guptaka, Satrunjaya,
Srinjaya, Suprabiddha, Prabhankara, Bhramara, Ravi, Sura, Pratapa and
Kuhana, all mounted on chariots drawn by chestnut horses and every one
of them looking like the fire on the sacrificial altar. The brothers also of
the king, viz., the powerful Valahaka, Anika, Vidarana and others, are among
his followers. These strong-limbed and noble youths are the flowers of
the Sauvira chivalry. The king is journeying in the company of these his
friends, like Indra surrounded by the Maruts. 0 fine-haired lady, do tell
us that are unacquainted ( with these matters ), whose wife and whose
daughter thou art."
SECTION CCLXIV
( Draupadi-harana Parva continued )
Vaisampayana continued, "The princess Draupadi, thus questioned
by that ornament of Sivi's race, moved her eyes gently, and letting go her
hold of the Kadamva branch and arranging her silken apparel she said, 'I am
aware, 0 prince, that it is not proper for a person like me to address you
thus, but as there is not another man or woman here to speak with thee
and as I am alone here just now, let me, therefore, speak. Know, worthy
sir, that being alone in this forest here, I should not speak unto thee,
remembering the usages of my sex. I have learned, 0 Saivya, that thou
73
570 MAHABHARATA
art Suratha's son, whom people know by the name of Kotika. Therefore!
on my parb, I shall now tell thee of my relations and renowned race. I
am the daughter of king Drupada, and people know me by the name of
Krishn^, and I have accepted as my husbands, five persons of whom you
may have heard while they were living at Kahandavaprastha. Those
noble persons, viz., Yudhishthira, Bhimasena, Arjuna, and the two sons
of Madri, leaving me here and having assigned unto themselves the four
points of the horizon, have gone out on a hunting excursion. The king
hath gone to the east, Bhimasena towards the south, Arjuna to the west,
and the twin brothers towards the north ! Therefore, do ye now alight
and dismiss your carriages so that ye may depart after receiving a due wel-
come from them. The high-souled son of Dharrua is fond of guests and
will surely be delighted to see you !' Having addressed Saivya's son in
this way, the daughter of Drupada, with face beautiful as the moon,
remembering well her husband's character for hospitality, entered her
spacious cottage."
SECTION CCLXV
( Draupadi-harana Parva continued )
Vaisampayana said, "0 Bharata, Kotikakhya related to those
princes who had been waiting, all that had passed between him and
Krishna. And hearing Kotikakhya's words, Jayadratha said to that scion
of the race of Sivi, 'Having listened only to her speech, my heart has been
lovingly inclined towards that ornament of womankind. Why therefore,
hast thou returned ( thus unsuccessful ) ? I tell thee truly, 0 thou of
mighty arms, that having once seen this lady, other women now seem to me
like so many monkeys. I having looked at her, she has captivated my
heart. Do tell me, 0 Saivya, if that excellent lady is of the human kind/
Kotika replied, 'This lady is the famous princess Krishna, the daughter of
Drupada, and the celebrated wife of the five sons of Pandu. She is the
much esteemed and beloved and chaste wife of the sons of Pritha. Taking
her with thee, do thou proceed towards Sauvira !' "
Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed, the evil-minded Jayadratha,
the king of Sindhu, Sauvira and other countries, said, 'I must see Drau-
padi.' And with six other men he entered that solitary hermitage, like a
wolf entering the den of a lion. And he said unto Krishna, 'Hail to thee,
excellent lady 1 Are thy husbands well and those, besides, whose prosperity
thou always wishest.' Draupadi replied, 'Kunti's son king Yudhishthira
of the race of Kuru, his brothers, myself, and all those of whom thou hasfc
enquired of, are well. Is everything right with thy kingdom, thy government,
exchequer, and thy army ? Art thou, as sole ruler, governing with justice
the rich countries of Saivya, Sivi, Sindhu and others that thou hast brought
under thy sway ? Do thou, O prince, accept this water for washing thy
feet. Do thou also take this seat. I offer thee fifty animals for thy train's
VANA 2AKVA 5?1
breakfast. Besides these, Yudhishthira himself, the son of Kunti, will give
thee porcine deer and Nan'ku deer, and does, and antelopes, and Sarabhas, and
rabbits, and Burn deer, and bears, and Samvara deer and gayals and many
other animals, besides wild boars and buffaloes and other animals of the
quadruped tribe.' Hearing this Jayadratha replied, saying, 'All is well
with me. By offering to provide our breakfast, thou hast in a manner
actually done it. Come now and ride my chariot and be completely happy.
For it becomes not thee to have any regard for the miserable sons of Pritha
who are living in the woods, whose energies have been paralysed, whose
kingdom hath been snatched and whose fortunes are at the lowest ebb. A
woman of sense like thee doth not attach herself to a husband that is poor.
She should follow her lord when he is in prosperity but abandon him when
in adversity. The sons of Pandu have for ever fallen away from their high
state, and have lost their kingdom for all time to come. Thou hast no need,
therefore, to partake of their misery from any regard for them. Therefore,
O thou of beautiful hips, forsaking the sons of Pandu, be happy by becoming
my wife, and share thou with me the kingdoms of Sindhu and Sauvira.' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these frightful words of the
king of Sindhu, Krishna retired from that place, her face furrowed into a
frown owing to the contraction of her eye-brows. But disregarding his
words from supreme contempt, the splender-waisted Krishna reproving
said unto the king of Sindhu, 'Speak not thus again ! Art thou not
ashamed ? Be on thy guard !' And that lady of irreproachable character
anxiously expecting the return of her husband, began, with long speeches,
to beguile him completely."
SECTION CCLXVI
( Draupadi-harana Parva continued )
Vaisampayana said, "The daughter of Drupada, though naturally
handsome, was suffused with crimson arising from a fit of anger. And
with eyes inflamed and eye-brows bent in wrath, she reproved the ruler
of the Suviras, saying, 'Art thou not ashamed, O fool, to use such
insulting words in respect of those celebrated and terrible warriors, each
like unto Indra himself, and who are all devoted to their duties and who
never waver in fight with even hosts of Yakshas and Rakshasas ? O
Sauvira, good men never speak ill of learned persons devoted to auster-
ities and endued with learning, no matter whether they live in the
wilderness or in houses. It is only wretches that are mean as thou who
do so. Methinks there is none in this assemblage of Kshatriya, who is
capable of holding thee by the hand to save thee from falling into the
pit thou openest under thy feet. In hoping to vanquish king Yudhish-
thira the just, thou really hopest to separate, stick in hand, from a herd
roaming in Himalayan valleys, its leader, huge as a mountain peak and
572 MAHABHARAtfA
with the temporal juice trickling down its rent temples. Out of childish
folly thou art kicking up into wakefulness the powerful lion lying asleep,
in order to pluck the hair from off his face ! Thou shalt, however, have
to run away when thou seest Bhimasena in wrath ! Thy courting a
combat with the furious Jishnu may be likened to thy kicking up a
mighty, terrible, full-grown and furious lion asleep in a mountain cave.
The encounter thou speakest of with those two excellent youths — the youn-
ger Pandavas— is like unto the act of a fool that wantonly trampleth on
the tails of two venomous black cobras with bifurcated tongues. The
bamboo, the reed, and the plantain bear fruit only to perish and not to
grow in size any further. Like also the crab that conceiveth for her
own destruction, thou wilt lay hands upon me .who am protected by
these mighty heroes !'
Jayadratha replied, 'I know all this, 0 Krishna, and I am well aware
of the prowess of those princes. But thou canst not frighten us now
with these threats. We, too, 0 Krishna, belong by birth to the
seventeen high clans, and are endowed with the six royal qualities.1
We, therefore, look down upon the Pandavas as inferior men ! There-
fore, do thou, 0 daughter of Drupada, ride this elephant or this chariot
quickly, for thou canst not baffle us with thy words alone ; or, speaking
less boastfully, seek thou the mercy of the king of the Sauviras !'
Draupadi replied, "Though I am so powerful, why doth the king of
Sauvira yet consider me so powerless. Well-known as I am, I cannot,
from fear of violence, demean myself before that prince. Even Indra
himself cannot abduct her for whose protection Krishna and Arjuna would
together follow, riding in the same chariot. What shall I say, therefore,
of a weak human being. When Kiriti, that slayer of foes, riding on his
car, will, on my account, enter thy ranks, striking terror into every heart,
he will consume everything around like fire consuming a stack of dry grass
in summer. The warring princes of the Andhaka and the Vrishni races,
with Janardana at their head, and the mighty bowmen of the Kaikeya
tribe, will all follow in my wake with great ardour. The terrible arrows
of Dhananjaya, shot from the string of the Gandiva and propelled by his
arms fly with great force through the air, roaring like the very clouds.
And when thou wilt behold Arjuna shooting from the Gandiva a thick mass
of mighty arrows like unto a flight of locusts, then wilt thou repent of
thine own folly! Bethink thyself of what thou wilt feel when that
warrior armed with the Gandiva, blowing his conch-shell and with gloves
reverberating with the strokes of his bowstring will again and again pierce
thy breast with his shafts. And when Bhima will advance towards thee,
mace in hand and the two sons of Madri range in all directions, vomiting
forth the venom of their wrath, thou wilt then experience pangs of keen
1 The six acts of a kiog are peace, war, marching, halting, sowing
dissension, and seeking protection. — Wilson's Diet.
VANA PAKVA 573
regret that will last for ever. As I have never been false to my worthy
lords even in thought, BO by that merit shall I now have the pleasure of
beholding thee vanquished and dragged by the sons of Pritha. Thou canst
not, cruel as thou art, frighten me by seizing me with violence, for as soon
as those Kuru warriors will espy me they will bring me back to the woods
of Kamyaka.' '
Vaisampayaiaa continued, "Then that lady of large eyes, beholding
them ready to lay violent hands on her, rebuked them and said, 'Defile
me not by your touch !' And in a great alarm she then called upon her
spiritual adviser, Dhaumya. Jayadratha, however, seized her by her
upper garment, but she pushed him with great vigour. And pushed by the
lady, that sinful wretch fell upon the ground like a tree severed from its
roots. Seized, however, once more by him with great violence, she began
to pant for breath. And dragged by the wretch, Krishna at last ascended
his chariot having worshipped Dhaumya's feet. And Dhaumya then
addressed Jayadratha and said, 'Do thou, O Jayadratha, observe the
ancient custom of the Kshatriyas. Thou canst not carry her off without
having vanquished those great warriors. Without doubt, thou shalt reap
the painful fruits of this thy despicable act, when thou encounterest the
heroic sons of Pandu with Yudhishthira the just at their head 1' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Having said these words Dhaumya,
entering into the midst of Jayadratha's infantry, began to follow that
renowned princess who was thus being carried away by the ravisher."
SECTION CCLXVII
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Meanwhile those foremost of bowmen on the
face of the earth, having wandered separately and ranged in all directions,
and having slain plenty of deer and buffaloes, at length met together. And
observing that great forest, which was crowded with hosts of deer and
wild beasts, resounding with the shrill cries of birds, and hearing the
shrieks and yells of the denizens of the wilderness, Yudhishthira said unto
his brothers, 'These birds and wild beasts, flying towards that direction
which is illuminated by the sun, are uttering dissonant cries and display-
ing an intense excitement. All this only shows that this mighty forest
hath been invaded by hostile intruders. Without a moment's delay let us
give up the chase. We have no more need of game. My heart aches and
seems to burn ! The soul in my body, over-powering the intellect,
seems ready to fly out. As a lake rid by Garuda of the mighty snake thafc
dwells in it, as a pot drained of its contents by thirsty men, as a kingdom
reft of king and prosperity, even so doth the forest of Kamyaka seem to
me.' Thus addressed, those heroic warriors drove towards their abode,
oi* great cars of handsome make and drawn by steeds of the Saindharva
574 MAHABHABATA
breed exceedingly fleet and possessed of the speed of the hurricane. And
on their way back, they beheld a jackal yelling hideously on the wayside
towards their left. And king Yudhishthira, regarding it attentively, said
unto Bhima and Dhananjaya, 'This jackal that belongs to a very inferior
species of animals, speaking to our left, speaketh a language which plainly
indiactes that the sinful Kurus, disregarding us, have commenced to
oppress us by resorting to violence.' After the sons of Pandu had given
up the chase and said these words, they entered the grove which contained
their hermitage. And there they found their beloved one's maid, the girl
Dhatreyika, sobbing and weeping. And Indrasena then quickly alighting
from the chariot and advancing with hasty steps towards her, questioned
her, O king, in great distress of mind, saying, 'What makes thee weep
thus, lying on the ground, and why is thy face so woe-begone and colour-
less ? I hope no cruel wretches have done any harm to the princess Drau-
padi possessed of incomparable beauty and large eyes and who is the second
self of every one of those bulls of the Kuru race ? So anxious hath been
Dharma's son that if the princess hath entered the bowels of the earth or
hath soared to heaven or dived into the bottom of the ocean, he and his
brothers will go thither in pursuit of her. Who could that fool be that
would carry away that priceless jewel belonging to the mighty and ever-
victorious sons of Pandu, those grinders of foes, and which is dear unto them
as their own lives ? I don't know who the person could be that would think
of carrying away that princess who hath such powerful protectors and who
is even like a walking embodiment of the hearts of the sons of Pandu ?
Piercing whose breasts will terrible shafts stick to the ground to-day ?
Do not weep for her, 0 timid girl, for know thou that Krishna will come
back this very day, and the sons of Pritha, having slain their foes, will
again be united with Yagnaseni !' Thus addressed by him, Dhatreyika,
wiping her beautiful face, replied unto Indrasena the charioteer, saying,
'Disregarding the five Indra-like sons of Pandu, Jayadratha hath carried
away Krishna by force. The track pursued by him hath not yet disappeared,
for the broken branches of trees have not yet faded. Therefore, turn
your' cars and follow her quickly, for the princess cannot have gone far by
this time ! Ye warriors possessed of the prowess of Indra, putting on your
costly bows of handsome make, and taking up your costly bows and quivers,
speed ye in pursuit of her, lest overpowered by threats or violence and los-
ing her sense and the colour of her cheeks, she yields herself up to an
undeserving wight, even as one poureth forth, from the sacrificial ladle,
the sanctified oblation on a heap of ashes. O, see that the clarified butter
is not poured into an unigniting fire of paddy chaff ; that a garland of
flowers is not thrown away in a cemetery. O, take care that the Soma
juice of a sacrifice is not licked up by a dog through the carelessness of the
officiating priests ! 0, let not the lily be rudely torn by a jackal roaming
for its prey in the impenetrable forest. 0, let no inferior wight touch
VANA PAEVA 575
with his lips the bright and beautiful face of your wife, fair as the beams
of the moon and adorned with the finest nose and the handsomest eyes, like
a dog licking clarified butter kept in the sacrificial pot ! Do ye speed in
this track and let not time steal a march on you.'
Yudhishthira said, 'Ketire, good woman, and control thy tongue.
Speak not this way before us. Kings or princes, whoever are infatuated
with the possession of power, are sure to come to grief 1' "
Vaisampayana continued, "With these words, they departed, follow-
ing the track pointed out to them, and frequently breathing deep sighs
like the hissing of snakes, and twanging the strings of their large bows.
And then they observed a cloud of dust raised by the hoofs of the steeds
belonging to Jayadratha's army. And they also saw Dhaumya in the midst
of the ravisher's infantry, exhorting Bhima to quicken his steps. Then
those princes ( the sons of Pandu ) with hearts undepressed, bade him be
of good cheer and said unto him, 'Do thou return cheerfully !' And then
they rushed towards that host with great fury, like hawks swooping down
on their prey. And possessed of the prowess of Indra, they had been
filled with fury at the insult offered to Draupadi. But at sight of Jaya-
dratha and of their beloved wife seated on his car, their fury knew no
bounds. And those mighty bowmen, Bhima and Dhananjaya and the
twin brothers and the king, called out Jayadratha to stop, upon which the
enemy was so bewildered as to lose their knowledge of directions. "
SECTION CCLXVIII
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "The hostile Kshatriyas, incensed at sight of
Bhimasena and Arjuna, sent up a loud shout in the forest. And the wicked
king Jayadratha, when he saw the standards of those bulls of the Kuru
race, lost his heart, and addressing the resplendent Yagnaseni seated on his
car, said, 'Those five great warriors, O Krishna, that are coming, are I be-
lieve, thy husbands. As thou knowest the sons of Pandu well, do thou, O
lady of beautiful tresses, describe them one by one to us, pointing out which
of them rideth which car !' Thus addressed, Draupadi replied, 'Having
done this violent deed calculated to shorten thy life, what will it avail thee
now, 0 fool, to know the names of those great warriors, for, now that my
heroic husbands are come, not one of ye will be left alive in battle. However
as thou art on the point of death and hast asked me, I will tell thee every-
thing, this being consistent with the ordinance. Beholding king Yudhisthira
the just with his younger brothers, I have not the slighest anxiety or fear
from thee ! That warrior at the top of whose flagstaff two handsome and
sonorous tabours called Nanda and Upananda are constantly played upon,
— he, O Sauvira chief, hath a correct knowledge of the morality of his own
acts. Men that have attained success always walk in his train. With a
576 MAHABHAEATA
complexion like tbat of pure gold, possessed of a prominent nose and large
eyes, and endued with a slender make, that husband of mine is known
among people by the name of Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma and the
foremost of the Kuru race. That virtuous prince of men granteth life to
.even a foe that yields. Therefore, O fool, throwing down thy arms and join-
ing thy hands, run to him for thy good, to seek his protection. And that
other man whom thou seest with long arms and tall as the full-grown Sala
tree, seated on his chariot, biting his lips, and contracting his forehead so
as to bring the two eye-brows together, is he, — my husband Vrikodara !
Steeds of the noblest breed, plump and strong, well-trained and endued
with great might, dra# the cars of that warrior! His achievements are
superhuman. He is known, therefore, by the name of Bhima on earth.
They that offend him are never suffered to live. He never forgetteth a foe.
On some pretext or other he wrecketh his vengeance. Nor is he pacified
even after he has wrecked a signal vengeance. And there, that foremost of
bowmen, endued with intelligence and renown, with senses under complete
control and reverence for the old, — that brother and disciple of Yudhish-
thira—is my husband Dhananjaya ! Virtue he never forsaketh, from lust
or fear or anger ! Nor doth he ever commit a deed that is cruel. Enduejl
with the energy of fire and capable of withstanding every foe, that grinder
of enemies is the son of Kunti. And that other youth, versed in every
question of morality and profit, who ever dispelleth the fears of the affrighted,
who is endued with high wisdom, who is considered as the handsomest
person in the whole world and who is protected by all the sons of Pandu,
being regarded by them as dearer to them than their own lives for his un-
flinching devotion to them, is my husband Nakula possessed of great
prowess. Endued with high wisdom and having Sahadava for his second,
possessed of exceeding lightness of hand, he fighteth with the sword, making
dexterous passes therewith. Thou, foolish man, shalt witness today his
performances on the field of battle, like unto those of Indra amid the ranks
of Daityas ! And that hero skilled in weapons and possessed of intelligence
and wisdom, and intent on doing what is agreeable to the son of Dharma,
that favourite and youngest born of the Pandavas, is my husband Saha-
deva ! Heroic, intelligent, wise and ever wrathful there is not another man
equal unto him in intelligence or in eloquence amid assemblies of the wise.
Dearer to Kunti than her own soul, he is always mindful of the duties
of Kshatriyas, and would much sooner rush into fire or sacrifice his own life
than say any thing that is opposed to religion and morals. When the sons
of Pandu will have killed thy warriors in battle, then wilt thou behold thy
army in the miserable plight of a ship on the sea wrecked with its freight of
jewels on the back of a whale. Thus have I described unto thee the prowess
of the sons of Pandu, disregarding whom in thy foolishness, thou hast acted
so. If thou escapest unscathed from them, then, indeed thou wilt have
obtained a new lease of life.' "
VANA PABVA 577
Vaisarnpayana continued, "Then those five sons of Pritha, ea ch like
unto Indra, filled with wrath, leaving the panic-stricken infantry alone who
were imploring them for mercy, rushed furiously upon the charioteers,
attacking them on all sides and darkening the very air with the thick
shower of arrows they shot."
SECTION CCLXIX
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Meanwhile, the king of Sindhu was giving
orders to those princes, saying, 'Halt, strike, march, quick', and like. And
on seeing Bhima, Arjuna, and the twin brothers with Yudhishthira, the
soldiers sent up a loud shout on the field of battle. And the warriors of
the Sivi, Sauvira and Sindhu tribes, at the sight of those powerful heroes
looking like fierce tigers, lost heart. And Bhirnasena, armed with a mace
entirely of Saikya iron and embossed with gold, rushed towards the Sain-
dhava monarch doomed to death, But Kotikakhya, speedily surrounding
Vrikodara with an array of mighty charioteers, interposed between and
separated the combatants. And Bhima, though assailed with numberless
spaars and clubs and iron arrows hurled at him by the strong arms of hos-
tile heroes, did not waver for one moment. On the other hand, he killed,
with his mace, an elephant with its driver and fourteen foot-soldiers fight-
ing in the front of Jayadratha's car. And Arjuna also, desirous of captur-
ing the Sauvira king, slew five hundred brave mountaineers fighting in the
van of the Sindhu army. And in that encounter, the king himself slew in
the twinkling of an eye, a hundred of the best warriors of the Sauviras.
And Nakula too, sword in hand, jumping out of his chariot, scattered in a
moment, like a tiller sowing seeds, the heads of the combatants fighting
in the rear. And Sahadeva from his chariot began to fell with his iron
shafts, many warriors fighting on elephants, like birds dropped from the
boughs of a tree. Then the king of Trigartas, bow in hand descending
from his great chariot, killed the four steeds of the king with his mace.
But Kunti's son, king Yudhishthira the just, seeing the foe approach so
near, and fighting on foot, pierced his breast with a crescent-shaped arrow.
And that hero, thus wounded in the breast began to vomit blood, and fell
down upon the ground besides Pritha's son, like an uprooted tree. And
king Yudhishthira the just, whose steeds had been slain taking this oppor-
tunity, descended with Indrasena from his chariot and mounted that of
Sahadeva. And the two warriors, Kshemankara and Mahamuksha, sing-
ling out Nakula, began to pour on him from both sides a perfect shower of
keen-edged arrows. The son of Madri, however, succeeded in slaying, with
a couple of long shafts, both those warriors who had been pouring on him
an arrowy shower-like clouds in the rainy season. Suratha, the king
of Trigartas, well-versed in elephant-charges, approaching the front of
74
578 MAHABHARATA
Nakula's chariot, caused it to be dragged by the elephant he rode. But
Nakula.little daunted at this, leaped out of his chariot, and securing a point
of vantage, stood shield and sword in hand, immovable as a hill. There-
upon Suratha, wishing to slay Nakula at once, urged towards him his huge
and infuriate elephant with trunk upraised. But when the beast came
near, Nakula with his sword severed from his head both trunk and tusks.
And that mail-clad elephant, uttering a frightful roar, fell headlong upon
the ground, crushing its riders by the fall. And having achieved this
daring feat, heroic son of Madri, getting up on Bhimasena's car, obtained a
little rest. And Bhima too, seeing prince Kotikakhya rush to the encounter,
cut off the head of his charioteer with a horse-shoe arrow. That prince
did not even perceive that his driver was killed by his strong-armed adver-
sary, and his horses, no longer restrained by a driver, ran about on the
battle-field in all directions. And seeing that prince without a driver
turn his back, that foremost of smiters, Bhima the son of Pandu, went up
to him and slew him with a bearded dart. And Dhananjaya also cut off
with his sharp crescent-shaped arrows, the heads, as well as the bows of
all the twelve Sauvira heroes. And the great warrior killed in battle,
with the arrow, the leaders of the Ikshwakus and the hosts of Sivis and
Trigartas and Saindhavas. And a great many elephants with their colours,
and chariots with standards, were seen to fall by the hand of Arjuna. And
heads without trunks, and trunks without heads, lay covering the entire
field of battle. And dogs, and herons and ravens, and crows, and falcons,
and jackals, and vultures, feasted on the flesh and blood of warriors slain
on that field. And when Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu, saw that his
warriors were slain, he became terrified and anxious to run away leaving
Krishna, behind. And in that general confusion, the wretch, setting down
Draupadi there, fled for his life, pursuing the same forest path by which he
had oome. And king Yudhisthira the just, seeing Draupadi with Dhaumya
walking before, caused her to be taken up on a chariot by the heroic
Sahadeva, the son of Madri. And when Jayadratha had fled away Bhima
bagan to mow down with his iron-arrows such of his followers as were
running away striking each trooper down after naming him. But Arjuna
perceiving that Jayadratha had run away exhorted his brother to refrain
from slaughtering the remnant of the Saindhava host. And Arjuna said,
'I do not find on the field of battle Jayadratha through whose fault alone
we have experienced this bitter misfortune t Seek him out first and may
success crown thy effort I What is the good of thy slaughtering these
troopers ? Why art thou bent upon this unprofitable business ?'
Vaisampayana continued, "Bhimasena, thus exhorted by Arjuna of
great wisdom, turning to Yudhishthira, replied, saying, 'As a great
many of the enemy's warriors have been slain and as they are flying in
all directions, do thou, O king, now return home, taking with thee Drau-
padi and the twin brothers and high-souled Dhaumya, and console the
VANA PABVA 579
princess after getting back feo our asylum f That foolish king of Sindhu
hall not let alone as long as he lives, even if he find a shelter in the
rnal ^ regions or is backed by Indra himself ! And Yudhisthira replied,
> thou of mighty arms remembering ( our sister ) Dussala and
he celebrated Gandhari, thou shouldst not slay the king of Sindhu even
though he is so wicked !'
Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these words, Draupadi was great-
ly excited. And that highly intelligent lady in her excitement said to her
husbands, Bhima and Arjuna with indignation mixed with modesty
f you care to do what is agreeable to me, you must slay that mean and
cable wretch, that sinful, foolish, infamous and contemptible chief
bhe Samdhava clan I That foe who forcibly carries away a wife, and
hat wrests a kingdom, should never be forgiven on the battle-field even
though he should supplicate for mercy !' Thus admonished, those two
valiant warriors went in search of the Saindhava chief. And the king
taking Krishna with him returned home, accompanied by his spiritual
Adviser. And on entering the hermitage, he found it was laid over with seats
r the ascetics and crowded with their disciples and graced with the pre-
sence of Markandeya and other Brahmanas. And while those Brahmanas
were gravely bewailing the lot of Draupadi, Yudhishthira endued with great
wisdom joined their company, with his brothers. And beholding the Iking
thus coma back after having defeated the Saindhava and the Sauvira host
and recovered Draupadi, they were all elated with joy ! And the king took
his seat in their midst. And the excellent princess Krishna entered the
hermitage with the two brothers.
"Meanwhile Bhima and Arjuna, learning the enemy was full two miles
ahead of them urged their horses to greater speed in pursuit of him. And
the mighty Arjuna performed a wonderful deed, killing the horse of Jaya-
dratha although they were full two miles ahead of them. Armed with
colestial weapons undaunted by difficulties he achieved this difficult feat
with arrows inspired with Mantras. And then the two warriors, Bhima
and Arjuna, rushed towards the terrified king of Sindhu whose horses
had been slain and who was alone and perplexed in mind. And the latter
was greatly grieved on seeing his steeds slain. And beholding Dhananjaya
do such a daring deed, and intent on running away, he followed the same
forest track by which he had come. And Falguna, seeing the Saindhava
chief so active in his fright, overtook him and addressed him saying,
'Possessed of so little manliness, how couldst thou dare to take away a
lady by force ? Turn round, O prince ; it is not meet that thou shouldst
run away ! How canst thou act so, leavjng thy followers in the rnidsfc of
thy foes ?' Although addressed by the sons of Pritha thus, the monarch
of Sindhu did not even once turn round. And then bidding him do what
he chose the mighty Bhima overtook him in an instant, but the kind
Arjuna entreated him not to kill that wretch."
SECTION CCLXX
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Jayadratha flying for his life upon beholding
those two brothers with upraised arms, was sorely grieved and bolted off
with speed and coolness. But the mighty and indignant Bhimasena,
descending from his chariot, ran after him thus fleeing, and seised him
by the hair of his head. And holding him high up in the air, Bhima
thurst him on the ground with violence. And seizing the prince by the
head, he knocked him about. And when the wretch recovered conscious-
ness, he groaned aloud and wanted to get up on his legs. But that hero
endued with mighty arms kicked him on the head. And Bhima pressed
him on the breast with his knees as well as with his fists. And the prince
thus belaboured, soon become insensible. Then Ealguna dissuaded the
wrathful Bhimasena from inflicting further chastisement on the prince,
by reminding him of what Yudhishthira had said regarding ( their sister )
Dussala. But Bhima replied, saying, 'This sinful wretch hath done a
cruel injury to Krishna, who never can bear such treatment. He, there-
fore, deserveth to die at hands ! But what can I do ? The king is
always overflowing with mercy, and thou, too, art constantly putting
obstacles in my way from a childish sense of virtue !' Having said these
words, Vrikodara, with his crescent-shaped arrow, shaved the hair of the
prince's head, heaving five tufts in as many places. Jayadratha uttered
not a word at this. Then Vrikodara, addressing the foe said, 'if thou
wishest to live, listen to me. O fool ! I shall tell thee the means to
attain that wish ! In public assemblies and in open courts thou must
say, — I am the slave of the Pandavas. — on this condition alone, I will
pardon thee thy life ! This is the customary rule of conquest on the field
of battle.' Thus addressed and treated, king Jayadratha said to the mighty
and fierce warrior who always looked awful, 'Be it so !' And he was
trembling and senseless and begrimed with dust. Then Arjuna and
Vrikodara, securing him with chains, thurst him into a chariot. And
Bhima, himself mounting that chariot, and accompanied by Arjuna, drove
towards the hermitage. And approaching Yudhishthira seated there,
he placed Jayadratha in that condition before the king. And the king,
smiling, told him to set the Sindhu prince at liberty. Then Bhima said
unto the king, 'Do thou tell Draupadi that this wretch hath become the
slave of the Pandavas.' Then his oldest brother said unto him affectionately,
'If thou hast any regard for us, do thou set this wretch at liberty !'
And Draupadi too, reading the king's mind, said, 'Let him off ! He hath
become a slave of the king's and thou, too, hast disfigured him by leaving
five tufts of hair on his head.' Then that crest-fallen prince, having
obtained his liberty, approached king Yudhishthira and bowed down unto
him. And seeing those Munis there, he saluted them also. Then the
kind-hearted king Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, beholding Jayadratha
in that condition, almost supported by Arjuna, said unto him, 'Thou art
a free man now ; I emancipate thee I Now go away and be careful not to
do such thing again ; shame to thee ! Thou hadst intended to take away
VAN A PAKVA 581
a lady by violence, even though thou art so mean and powerless I What
other wretch save thee would think of acting thus ?' Then that foremost
king of Bharata's race eyad with pity that perpetrator of wicked deeds, and
believing that he had lost his senses, said, 'Mayst thy heart grow in
virtue ! Never set thy heart again on immoral deeds ! Thou mayst depart
in peace now with thy charioteers, cavalry and infantry.' Thus addressed
by Yudhishthira, the prince, 0 Bharata, was overpowered with shame,
and bending down his head, he silently and sorrowfully wended his way to
the place where the Ganga debouches on the plains. And imploring the
protection of the god of three eyes, the consort of Uma, he did severe
penance at that place. And the three-eyed god, pleased with his austerities
deigned to accept his offerings in person. And he also granted him a
boon ! Do thou listen, O monarch, how the prince received that boon !
Jayadratha, addressing that god, asked the boon, 'May I be able to defeat in
battle all the five sons of Pandu on their chariots !' The god, however, told
him 'This cannot be.' And Maheswara said, 'None can slay or conquer
them in battle. Save Arjuna, however, thou shall be able to only check
them ( once ) on the field of battle ! The heroic Arjuna, with mighty
arms, is the god incarnate styled Nara. He practised austerities of old
in the Vadarl forest. The God Narayana is his friend. Therefore, he is
unconquerable of the very gods. I myself have given him the celestial wea-
pon called Pasupata. From the regents also of all the ten cardinal points,
he has acquired the thunder-bolt and other mighty weapons. And the great
god Vishnu who is the Infinite Spirit, the Lord Preceptor of all the gods, is
the Supreme Being without attributes, and the Soul of the Universe, and
existeth pervading the whole creation. At the termination of a cycle of
ages, assuming the shape of the all-consuming fire, he consumed the whole
Universe with mountains and seas and islands and hills and woods and
forests. And after the destruction of the Naga world also in the subterra-
nean regions in the same way, vast masses of many-coloured and loud-peal-
ing clouds, with streaks of lightning, spreading along the entire welkin, had
appeared on high. Then pouring down water in torrents thick as axles of
cars, and filling the space everywhere, these extinguishing that all-consum-
ing fire ! When at the close of four thousand Yugas the Earth thus
became flooded with water, like one vast sea, and all mobile creatures were
hushed in death, and the sun and the moon and the winds were all destroy-
ed, and the Universe was devoid of planets and stars, the Supreme Being
called Narayana, unknowable by the senses, adorned with a thousand
heads and as many eyes and legs, became desirous of rest. And the serpent
Sesha, looking terrible with his thousand hoods, and shining with the
splendour of ten thousand suns, and white as the Kunda flower or the moon
or a string of pearls, or the white lotus, or milk, or the fibres of a lotus
stalk, served for his conch. And that adorable and omnipotent God thus
slept on the bosom of the deep, enveloping all space with nocturnal gloom.
582 MAHABHAEATA
And when his creative faculty was excited, he awoke and found the
Universe denuded of everything. In this connection, the following sloka is
recited respecting the mean of Narayana. "Water was created by (the Eishi)
Nara, and it formed his corpus ; therefore do we hear it styled as Nara.
And because it formed his Ayana ( resting-place ) therefore is he known as
Narayana." As soon as that everlasting Being was engaged in meditation
for the re-creation of the Universe, a lotus flower instantaneously came into
existence from his navel, and the four-faced Brahma came out of that
navel-lotus. And then the Grandsire of all creatures, seating himself on
that flower and finding that the whole Universe was a blank, created in
his own likeness, and from his will the ( nine ) great Rishis, Marichi and
others. And these in their turn observing the same thing, completed
the creation, by creating Yakshas, Bakshas, Pisachas, reptiles, men, and
all mobile and immobile creatures. The Supreme Spirit hath three condi-
tions. In the form of Brahma, he is the Creator, and in the form of
Vishnu he is the Preserver, and in his form as Eudra, he is the Destroyer
of the Universe ! 0 king of Sindhu, hast thou not heard of the wonderful
achievements of Vishnu, described to thee by the Munis and the Brahrnanas
learned in the Vedas ? When the world was thus reduced to one vast sea
of water, with only the heavens above, the Lord, like a fire-fly at night-
time during the rainy season, moved about hither and thither in search of
stable ground, with the view of rehabilitating his creation, and became
desirous of raising the Earth submerged in water. What shape shall I
take to rescue the Earth from this flood, ? — So thinking and contemplating
with divine insight, he bethought himself of the shape of a wild boar fond
of sporting in water. And assuming the shape of a sacrificial boar shining
with effulgence and instinct with the Vedas and ten Yojanas in length,
with pointed tusks and a complexion like dark clouds, and with a body
huge as a mountain, and roaring like a conglomeration of clouds, the Lord
plunged into the waters, and lifted up the Earth with one of his tusks,
and replaced it in its proper sphere. At another time, the mighty Lord,
assuming a wonderful form with a body half lion, half man, and squeezing
his hands, repaired to the court of the ruler of the Daityas. That proge-
nitor of the Daityas, the son of Diti, who was the enemy of the (gods), be-
holding the Lord's peculiar form, burst out into passion and his eyes
became inflamed with rage. And Hiranya-Kasipu, the war-like son of Diti
and the enemy of the gods, adorned with garlands and looking like a mass
of dark clouds, taking up his trident in hand and roaring like the clouds,
rushed on that being half lion, half man. Then that powerful king of wild
boasts, half man, half lion, taking a leap in the air, instantly rent the
Daitya in twain by means of his sharp claws. And the adorable lotus-eyed
Lord of great effulgence, having thus slain the Daitya king for the well-
being of all creatures, again took his birth in the womb of Aditi as son of
Kasyapa. And at the expiration of a thousand years she was delivered of
VANA PABVA 583
that superhuman conception. And then was born that Being, of the hue
of rain-charged clouds with bright eyes and of dwarfish stature He had the
ascetic's staff and water-pot in hand, and was marked with the emblem of a
curl of hair on the breast. And that adorable Being wore matted locks and
the sacrificial thread, and he was stout and handsome and resplendent with
lustre. And that Being, arriving at the sacrificial enclosure of Vali, king
of the Danavas, entered the sacrificial assembly with the aid of Vrihaspati.
And beholding that dwarf-bodied Being, Vali was well-pleased and said
unto him, 'I am glad to see thee, O Brahmana ! Say what is it that thou
wantest from me !' Thus addressed by Vali, the dwarf-god replied with a
smile, saying, 'So be it ! Do thou, lord of the Danavas, give me three
paces of ground !' And Vali contented to give what that Brahmana of infi-
nite power had asked. And while measuring with his paces the space he
sought, Hari assumed a wonderful and extraordinary form. And with
only three paces he instantly covered this illimitable world. And then
that everlasting God, Vishnu, gave it away unto Indra. This history which
has just been related to thee, is celebrated as the 'Incarnation of the
Dwarf.1 And from him, all the gods had their being, and after him the
world is said to be Vaishnava.on: pervaded by Vishnu. And for the destruc-
tion of the wicked and the preservation of religion, even He hath taken
his birth among men in the xace of the Yadus. And the adorable Vishnu
is styled Krishna. These, O king of Sindhu, are the achievements of the
Lord whom all the worlds worship and whom the learned describe as with-
out beginning and without end, unborn and Divine ! They call Him,
the unconquerable Krishna with conchshell, discus and mace, and adorned
with the emblem of a curl of hair, Divine, clad in silken robes of yellow
hue, and the best of those versed in the art of war. Arjuna is protected
by Krishna the possessor of these attributes. That glorious and lotus-eyed
Being of infinite power, that slayer of hostile heroes, riding in the same
chariot with Pritha's son, protecteth him ! He is, therefore, invincible;
the very gods cannot resist his power, still less can one with human
attributes vanquish the son of Pritha in battle ! Therefore, 0 king, thou
must let him alone ! Thou shalt, however, be able to vanquish for a single
day only, the rest of Yudhishthira's forces along with thine enemies— the
four sons of Pandu !''
Vaisampayana continued, "Having said these words unto that
prince, the adorable Hara of three eyes, the destroyer of all sins, the
consort of Uma, and lord of wild beasts, the destroyer of (Daksha's)
sacrifice, the slayer of Tripura and He that had plucked out the eyes of
Bhaga, surrounded by his dwarfish and hunch-backed and terrible followers
having frightful eyes and ears and uplifted arms, vanished, O tiger among
kings, from that place with his consort Urna ! And the wicked Jayadratha
also returned home, and the sons of Pandu continued to dwell in the
forest of Kamyaka."
SECTION CCLXXr
(Draupadi -liar ana Parva continued)
Janamejaya said, "What did those tigers among men, the Panda-
vas, do, after they had suffered such misery in consequence of the ravish-
ment of Draupadi ?"
Vaisampayana said, "Having defeated Jayadratha and rescued
Krishna, the virtuous king Yudhishthira took his seat by the side of that
best of Munis. And among those foremost of ascetics who were expressing
their grief upon bearing Draupadi's misfortune, Yudhishthira, the son of
Pandu, addressed Markandeya, saying, 'O adorable Sire, amongst the gods
and the ascetics, thou art known to have the fullest knowledge of both the
past as well as the future. A doubt existeth in my mind, which I would
ask thee to solve ! This lady is the daughter of Drupada : she hath
issued from the sacrificial altar and hath not been begotten of the flesh ;
and she is highly blessed and is also the daughter-in-law of the illustrious
Pandu. I incline to think that Time, and human Destiny that dependeth on
our acts, and the Inevitable, are irresistible in respect of creatures. ( If it
were not so ), how could such a misfortune afflict this wife of ours so faith-
ful and virtuous, like a false accusation of theft against an honest man ?
The daughter of Drupada hath never committed any sinful act, nor, hath
she done anything that is not commendable : on the contrary, she hath
assiduously practised the highest virtues towards Brahmanas. And yet
the foolish king Jayadratha had carried her away by force. In consequence
of this act of violence on her, that sinful wretch hath his hair shaved off
his head and sustained also, with all his allies, defeat in battle. It is
true we have rescued her after slaughtering the troops of Sindhu. But the
disgrace of this ravishment of our wife during our hours of carelessness
hath stained us, to be sure. This life in the wilderness is full of miseries.
We subsist by chase ; and though dwelling in the woods, we are obliged
to slay the denizens thereof that live with us ! This exile also that we
suffer is due to the act of deceitful kinsmen ! Is there any one who is
more unfortunate than I am ? Hath thou ever seen or heard of such a
one before ?"
SECTION CCLXXII
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'O bull of the Bharata race, even Rama suffered
unparalleled misery, for the evil-minded Havana, king of the Eakshasas,
having recourse to deceit and overpowering the vulture Jatayu, forcibly
carried away his wife Sita from his asylum in the woods. Indeed, Bama,
with the help of Sugriva, brought her back, constructing a bridge across
the sea, and consuming Lanka with his keen-edged arrows.'
VANA PABVA 585
"Yudhishthira said, 'In what race was Eama born and what was the
measure of his might and prowess ? Whose son also was Eavana and for
what was it that he had any misunderstanding with Eama ? It behoveth
thee, O illustrious one, to tell me all this in detail ; for I long to hear the
story of Eama of great achievements !'
"Markandeya said, 'Listen, 0 prince of Bharata1 s race, to this old
history exactly as it happened 1 I will tell thee all about the distress
suffered by Eama together with his wife. There was a great king named
Aja sprung from the race of Ikshwaku. He had a son named Dasaratha
who was devoted to the study of the Vedas and was ever pure. And
Dasaratha had four sons conversant with morality and profit'known by the
names, respectively, of Eama, Lakshmana, Satrughna, and the mighty
Bharata. And Eama had for his mother Kausalya, and Bharata had for his
mother Kaikeyi, while those scourge of their enemies Lakshmana and
Satrughna, were the sons of Sumitra. And Janaka was the king of Videha,
and Sita was his daughter. And Tashtri himself created her, desiring to
make her the beloved wife of Eama. I have now told thee the history of
both Eama's and Sita's birth. And now, 0 king, I will relate unto thee
birth of Eavana- That Lord of all creatures and the Creator of the Universe
viz., the Self-create Prajapati himself — that god possessed of great ascetic
merit — is the grandfather of Eavana. And Pulastya hath a mighty son
called Vaisravana begotten of a cow. But his son, leaving his father, went
to his grandfather. And, 0 king, angered at this, his father then created a
second self of himself. And with half of his own self that regenerate one
became born of Visrava for wrecking a vengeance on Vaisravana. But
the Grandsire, pleased with Vaisravana, gave him immortality, and
sovereignty of all the wealth of the Universe, the guardianship of one of
the cardinal points, the friendship of Isana, and a son named Nalakuvera.
And he also gave him for his capital Lanka, which was guarded by hosts of
Eakshasas, and also a chariot called Pushpaka capable of going everywhere
according to the will of the rider. And the kingship of the Yakshas and the
sovereignty over sovereigns were also his.' "
SECTION CCLXXIII
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
Markandeya said, "The Muni named Visrava, who was begotten of
half the soul of Pulastya, in a fit of passion, began to look upon Vaisra-
vana with great anger. But, 0 monarch, Kuvera, the king of the
Eakshasas, knowing that his father was angry with him, always sought
to please him. And, 0 best of Bharata' s race, that king of kings living in
Lanka, and borne upon the shoulders of men, sent three Eakshasa women
to wait upon his father. Their names, 0 king, were Pushpotkata, Eaka
and Malini. And they were skilled in singing and dancing and were
75
586 MAHABHAEATA
always assiduous in their attentions on that high-souled Eishi, And
those slender-waisted ladies vied with one another, O king, in gratifying
the Eishi. And that high-soulod and adorable being was pleased with
them and granted them boons. And to every one of them he gave
princely sons according to their desire. Two sons — those foremost of
Eakahasas named Kumvakarna and the Ten-headed Eavana, — both
unequalled on earth in prowess, were born to Pushpotkata. And Malini
had a son named Vibhishana, and Eaka had twin children named Khara
and Surpanakha. And Vibhishana surpassed them all in beauty. And
that excellent person was very pious and assiduously performed all
religious rites. But that foremost of Eakshasas, with ten heads, was
the eldest to them all. And he was religious, and energetic and possessed
of great strength and prowess, And the Eakshasa Kumvakarna was the
most powerful in battle, for he was fierce and terrible and a thorough master
of the arts of illusion. And Khara was proficient in archery, and hostile to
the Brahmanas, subsisting as he did on flesh. And the fierce Surpanakha
was constant source of trouble to the ascetics. And the warriors, learned
in the Vedas and diligent in ceremonial rites, all lived with their father in
the Gandhamadana. And there they beheld Vaisravana seated with their
father, possessed of riches and borne on the shoulders of men. And seized
with jealousy, they resolved upon performing penances. And with ascetic
penances of the most severe kind, they gratified Brahma. And the Ten-
headed Eavana, supporting life by means of air alone and surrounded by the
five sacred fires and absorbed in meditation, remained standing on one leg
for a thousand years. And Kumvakarna with head downwards, and with
restricted diet, was constant in austerities. And the wise and magnani-
mous Vibhishana, observing fasts and subsisting only on dry leaves and
engaged in meditation, practised severe austerities for a long period. And
Khara and Surpanakha, with cheerful hearts, protected and attended on
them while they were performing those austerities. And at the close of a
thousand years, the invincible Ten-headed One, cutting off his own heads,
offered them as offering to the sacred fire. And at this act of his, the Lord
of the Universe was pleased with him. And then Brahma, personally
appearing to them, bade them desist from those austerities and promised
to grant boons unto every one of them. And the adorable Brahma said,
4I am pleased with you, my sons ! Cease now from these austerities and
ask boons of me ! Whatever your desires may be, they, with the single
exception of that of immortality, will be fulfilled ! As thou hast offered
thy heads to the fire from great ambition, they will again adorn thy body
as before, according to thy desire. And thy body will not be disfigured
and thou shalt be able to assume any form according to thy desire and
become the conqueror of thy foes in battle. There is no doubt of this !'
Thereupon Eavana said, 'May I never experience defeat at the hands of
Gandharvas, Celestials, Kinnaras, A suras, Yakshas, Eakshasas, Serpents
VANA PAEVA 587
and all other creatures !' Brahma said, 'From those that hast named, thou
shalt never have cause of fear ; except from men (thou shalt have no occa-
sion for fear). Good betide thee ! So hath it been ordained by me !'
"Markandeya said, 'Thus addressed, the Ten-headed (EavanaJ was
highly gratified, for on account of his perverted understanding, the man-
eating one slightened human beings. Then the great Grandsire addressed
Kumbhakarna as before. His reason being clouded by darkness, he asked
for long-lasting sleep. Saying, 'It shall be so* 'Brahma then addressed
Vibhishana, '0 my son, I am much pleased with thee ! Ask any boon
thou pleasest !' Thereupon, Vibhishana replied, 'Even in great danger, may
I never swerve from the path of righteousness, and though ignorant, may
I, O adorable Sire, be illumined with the light of devine knowledge !' And
Brahma replied, '0 scourge of thy enemies, as thy soul inclines not to
unrighteousness although born in the Rakshasa race, I grant thee immor-
tality f
"Markandeya continued, Having obtained this boon, the Ten-headed
Eakshasa defeated Kuvera in battle and obtained from him the sovereignty
of Lanka. That adorable Being, leaving Lanka and followed by Gandharvas,
Yakshas, Eakshas, and Kinnaras, went to live on mount Gandhamadana.
And Eavana forcibly took from him the celestial chariot Pushpaka. And
upon this Vaisravana cursed him, saying, 'This chariot shall never carry
thee ; it shall bear him who will slay thee in battle ! And as thou hast
insulted me, thy elder brother, thou shalt soon die !'
"The pious Vibhishana, 0 King, treading in the path followed by the
virtuous and possessed of great glory, followed Kuvera. That adorable
Lord of wealth, highly pleased with his younger brothers, invested him
with the command of the Yaksha and Eaksha hosts. On the other hand,
the powerful and man-eating Bakshasas and Pisachas, having assembled
together, invested the Ten-headed Eavana with their sovereignty. And
Eavana, capable of assuming any form at will and terrible in prowess, and
capable also of passing through the air, attacked the gods and the Daityas
and wrested from them all their valuable possessions. And as he had
terrified all creatures, he was called Eavana. And Eavana, capable of
mustering any measure of might inspired the very gods with terror."
SECTION CCLXXIV
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'Then the Brahmarshis, the Siddhas and the Devar-
shis, with Havyavaha as their spokesman, sought the protection of Brahma.
And Agni said, 'That powerful son of Visrava, the Ten-headed cannot be
slain on account of thy boon ! Endued with great might he oppresseth in
eyery possible way the creatures of the earth. Protect us, therefore, 0
adorable one ! There is none else save thee to protect us !'
588 MAHABHAEATA
"Brahma said, 'O Agni, he cannot be conquered in battle by either
the gods or the Asuras ! I have already ordained that which is needful for
that purpose. Indeed his death is near ! Urged by me, the four-headed
God hath already been incarnate for that object. Even Vishnu, that fore-
most of smiters will achieve that object !'
"Markandeya continued, 'Then the Grandsire also asked Sakra, in
their presence, 'Be thou, with all the celestials, born on earth ! And
beget ye on monkeys and bears, heroic sons possessed of great strength
and capable of assuming any form at will as allies of Vishnu !' And at
this, the gods, the Gandharvas and the Danavas quickly assembled to
take counsel as to how they should be born on earth according to their
respective parts. And in their presence the boon-giving god commanded
a Gandharvi, by name Dundubhi saying, 'Go there for accomplishing
this object !' And Dundubhi hearing these words of the Grandsire, was
born in the world of men as the hunch-backed Manthara. And all the
principal celestials, with Sakra and others begot offspring upon the
wives of the foremost of monkeys and bears. And those sons equalled
their sires in strength and fame. And they were capable of splitting
mountain peaks and their weapons were stones and trees of the Sola and
the Tola species. And their bodies were hard as adamant, and they
were possessed of very great strength. And they were all skilled in war
and capable of mustering any measure of energy at will. And they were
equal to a thousand elephants in might, and they resembled the wind in
speed. And some of them lived wherever they liked, while others lived in
forests. And the adorable Creator of the Universe, having ordained all this,
instructed Manthara as to what she would have to do. And Manthara
quick as thought, understood all his words, and went hither and thither
ever engaged in fermenting quarrels.' "
SECTION CCLXXV
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
"Yudhishthira said, '0 adorable one, thou hast described to me in
detail the history of the birth of Bama and others. I wish to learn the
cause of their exile. Do thou, O Brahmana, relate why the sons of Dasaratha
— the brothers Eama and Lakshmana — went to the forest with famous
princess of Mithila.'
"Markandeya said, 'The pious king Dasaratha, ever mindful of the
old and assiduous in religious ceremonies, was greatly pleased when
these sons were born. And his sons gradually grew up in might and
they became conversant with the Vedas together with all their mysteries,
and with the science of arms. And when after having gone through the
Brahmacharyya vows the princes were married, king Dasaratha became
VANA PAEVA 589
happy and highly pleased. And the intelligent Bama, the eldest of them
all, became the favourite of his father, and greatly pleased the people with
his charming ways. And theo, 0 Bharata, the wise king, considering
himself old in years took counsel with his virtuous ministers and spiritual
adviser for installing Bama as regent of the kingdom. And all those great
ministers were agreed that it was time to do so. And, O scion of Kuru's
race, king Dasaratha was greatly pleased to behold his son, — that enhancer
of Kausalya's delight — possessed of eyes that were red, and arms that
were sinewy. And his steps were like those of a wild elephant. And he
had long arms and high shoulders, and black and curly hair. And he
was valiant, and glowing with splendour, and not inferior to Indra himself
in battle. And he was well-versed in holy writ and was equal to Vrihas-
pati in wisdom. An object of love with all the people, he was skilled in
every science. And with senses under complete control, his very enemies
were pleased to behold him. And ha was terror of the wicked and the
protector of the virtuous. And possessed of intelligence and incapable of
being baffled, he was victorious over all and never vanquished by any. And,
O descendant of Kurus, beholding his son — that enhancer of Kausalya's
joy — king Dasaratha became highly pleased. And reflecting on Bama's
virtues, the powerful and mighty king cheerfully addressed the family
priest, saying, 'Blessed be thou, 0 Brahmana ! This night of the Pushya
constellation will bring in a very auspicious conjunction. Let, therefore,
materials be collected and let Bama also be invited. This Pushya constella-
tion will last till tomorrow. And Bama, therefore, should be invested by
me and my ministers as prince-regent of all my subjects !'
"Meanwhile Manthara ( the maid of Kaikeyi ), hearing these words of
the king, went to her mistress, and spoke unto her as was suited to the
occasion. And she said, 'Thy great ill-luck, OTCaikeyi, hath this day been
proclaimed by the king ! 0 unlucky one, mayst thon be bitten by a fierce
and enraged snake of virulent poison ! Kausalya, indeed, is fortunate, as
it is her son that is going to be installed on the throne. Where, indeed, is
thy prosperity, when thy son obtaineth not the kingdom ?'
"Hearing these words of her maid, the slendor-waisted and beautiful
Kaikeyi put on all her ornaments, and sought her husband in a secluded
place. And with a joyous heart, and smiling pleasantly, she addressed
these words to him with all the blandishments of love, *O king, thou art
always true to thy promises. Thou didst promise before to grant me an
object of my desire. Do thou fulfil that promise now and save thyself from
the sin of unredeemed pledge !' The king replied, saying, 'I will grant thee a
boon. Ask thou whatever thou wishest ! What man undeserving of death
shall be slain today and who that deserves death is to be set at liberty ?
Upon whom shall I bestow wealth to-day, or whose wealth shall be confis-
cated ? Whatever wealth there is in this world, save what belongeth to
Brahmanas, is mine ! I am the king of kings in this world, and the pro-
590 MAHABHARAtfA
tector of all the four classes ! Tell me quickly, O blessed lady, what that
object is upon which thou hast set thy heart !' Hearing these words of the
king, and tying him fast to his pledge, and conscious also of her power over
him, she addressed him in these words, 'I desire that Bharata be the
recipient of that investiture which thou hast designed for Kama, and let
Rama go into exile living in the forest of Dandaka for fourteen years as an
ascetic with matted locks on head and robed in rags and deer-skins !' Hear-
ing these disagreeable words of cruel import, the king, 0 chief of the
Bharata race, was sorely afflicted and became utterly speechless ! But the
mighty and virtuous Rama, learning that his father had been thus solicited,
went into the forest so that the king's truth might remain inviolate. And,
blessed be thou, he was followed by the auspicious Lakshmana — that fore-
most of bowmen and his wife Sita, the princess of Videha and daughter of
Janaka. And after Rama had gone into the forest, king Dasaratha took
leave of his body, agreeably to the eternal law of time. And knowing that
Rama not near and that the king was dead, queen Kaikeyi, causing
Bharata to be brought before her, addressed him in these words,
'Dasaratha hath gone to heaven and both Rama and Lakshmana are in the
forest ! Take thou this kingdom which is so extensive and whose peace
there is no rival to disturb.' Thereupon the virtuous Bharata replied unto
her saying, 'Thou hast done a wicked deed, having slain thy husband and
exterminated this family from lust of wealth alone ! Heaping infamy on
my head, O accursed woman of our race, thou hast, O mother, attained
this, thy object !' And having said these words, the prince wept aloud. And
having proved his innocence before all the subjects of that realm he set
out in the wake of Rama, desiring to bring him back. And placing Kau-
salya and Sumitra and Kaikeyi in the vehicles at the van of his train, he
proceeded with a heavy heart, in company with Satrughna. And he was
accompanied by Vasishtha and Vamadeva, and other Brahmanas by thou-
sands and by the people of the cities and the provinces, desiring to bring
back Rama. And he saw Rama with Lakshmana, living on the mountains
of Ohitrakuta with bow in hand and decked with the ornaments of ascetics.
Bharata, however, was dismissed by Rama, who was determined to act accor-
ding to the words of his father. And returning, Bharata ruled at Nandi-
grama, keeping before him, his brother's wooden sandals. And Rama fear-
ing a repetition of intrusion by the people cf Ayodhya, entered into the great
forest towards the asylum of Sarabhanga. And having paid his respects
to Sarabhanga, he entered the forest of Dandaka and took up his abode
on the banks of beautiful river Godavari. And while living there, Rama
was inveigled into hostilities with Khara, then dwelling in Janasthana, on
account of Surpanakha. And for the protection of the ascetics the virtuous
scion of Raghu's race slew fourteen thousand Rakshasas on earth, and
having slain those mighty Rakshasas, Khara and Dushana, the wise
descendant of Raghu once more made that sacred forest free from danger/
VANA PABVA 591
"And after these Bakshasas had been slain, Surpanakha with mutilated
nose and lips, repaired to Lanka — the abode of her brother (Bavana). And
when that Bakshasa woman, senseless with grief and with dry blood-stains
on her face, appeared before Bavana, she fell down at his feet. And behold-
ing her so horribly mutilated, Bavana became senseless with wrath and
grinding his teeth sprung up from his seat. And dismissing his ministers,
he enquired of her in private, saying, 'Blessed sister, who hath made thee
so, forgetting and disregarding me ? Who is he that having got a sharp-
pointed spear hath rubbad his body with it ? Who is he that sleepeth in
happiness and security, after placing a fire close to his head ? Who ia he
that hath trodden upon a revengeful snake of virulent poison ? Who indeed,
is that person who standeth with his hand thrust into the mouth of the
maned lion !' Then flames of wrath burst forth from his body, like those
that are emitted at night from the hollows of a tree on fire. His sister
then related unto him the prowess of Bama and the defeat of the Bakshasas
with Khara and Dushana at their head. Informed of the slaughter of his
relatives, Bavana, impelled by Fate, remembered Maricha for slaying
Bama. And resolving upon the course he was to follow and having made
arrangements for the government of his capital, he consoled his sister, and
set out on an aerial voyage. And crossing the Trikuta and the Kala moun-
tains, he beheld the vast receptacle of deep waters — the abode of the Maka-
ras. Then crossing the Ocean, the Ten. headed Bavana reached Gokarna — the
favourite resort of the illustrious god armed with the trident. And there
Bavana met with his old friend Maricha who, from fear of Bama himself,
had adopted an ascetic mode of life.' "
SECTION CCLXXVI
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'Beholding Bavana come, Maricha received
him with a respectful welcome, and offered him fruits and roots. And
after Bavana had taken his seat, and rested himself a while, Maricha skill-
ed in speech, sat beside Bavana and addressed him who was himself as
eloquent in speech, saying, 'Thy complexion hath assumed an unnatural
hue ; is it all right with thy kingdom, 0 king of the Bakahasas ? What
hath brought thee here ? Do thy subjects continue to pay thee the same
allegiance that they used to pay thee before ? What business hath brought
thee here ? Know that it is already fulfilled, even if it be very difficult of
fulfilment ! Bavana, whose heart was agitated with wrath and humiliation
informed him briefly of the acts of Bama and the measures that were to
be taken.' And on hearing his story, Maricha briefly replied to him, saying,
'Thou must not provoke Bama, for I know his strength ! Is there a person
who is capable of withstanding the impetus of his arrows ? That great
592 MAHABHABATA
man hath been the cause of my assuming my present ascetic life. What
evil-minded creature hath put thee up to this course calculated to bring
ruin and destruction on thee ?' To this Eavana indignantly replied,
reproaching him thus, 'If thou dost not obey my orders, thou shalt
surely die at my hands.' Maricha then thought within himself, 'When
death is inevitable, I shall do his biddings ; for it is better to die at the
hands of one that is superior,' Then he replied to the lord of the Eakshasas
saying, 'I shall surely render thee whatever help I can !' Then the Ten-
headed Bavana said unto him, 'Go and tempt Sita, assuming the shape of
a deer with golden horns and a golden skin ! When Sita will observe
thee thus, she will surely send away Bama to hunt thee. And then Sita
will surely come within my power, and I shall forcibly carry her away.
And then that wicked Bama will surely die of grief at the loss of his wife.
Do thou help me in this way 1*
"Thus addressed, Maricha performed his obsequies (in anticipation)
and with a sorrowful heart, followed Bavana who was in advance of
him. And having reached the hermitage of Bama of difficult achieve-
ments, they both did as arranged beforehand. And Bavana appeared
in the guise of an ascetic with head shaven, and adorned with a
Kamundala, and a treble staff. Acd Maricha appreared in the shape of
a deer. And Maricha appeared before the princess of Videha in that
guise. And impelled by Fate, she sent away Bama after that deer. And
Rama, with the object of pleasing her, quickly took up his bow, and
leaving Lakshmana behind to protect her, went in pursuit of that deer.
And armed with his bow and quiver and scimitar, and his fingers
encased in gloves of Guana skin, Bama went in pursuit of that deer,
after the manner of Budra following the stellar deer1 in days of yore.
And that Bakshasa enticed away Bama to a great distance by appearing
before him at one time and disappearing from his view at another. And
when Bama at last knew who and what that deer was, viz., that he was
a Rakshasa, that illustrious descendant of Baghu's race took out an
infallible arrow and slew that Bakshasa, in the disguise of a deer. And
struck with Bama's arrow, the Bakshasa, imitating Bama's voice, cried
out in great distress, calling upon Sita and Lakshmana. And when the
princess of Videha heard that cry of distress, she urged Lakshmana to run
towards the quarter from whence the cry came. Then Lakshmana said
to her, 'Timid lady, thou hast no cause of fear ! Who is so powerful
as to be able to smite Bama ? 0 thou of sweet smiles, in a moment thou
wilt behold thy husband Bama !' Thus addressed, the chaste Sita, from
that timidity which is natural to women, became suspicious of even the
pure Lakshmana, and began to weep aloud. And that chaste lady,
devoted to her husband, harshly reproved Laksbmana, saying, 'The
object which thou, O fool, cherishest in thy heart, shall never be
fulfilled ! I would rather kill myself with a weapon or throw myself
1 Tard-mrigam. Formerly Prajapati, assuming the form of a deer,
followed his daughter from lust, and Budra, armed with a trident, pursued
Prajapati and struck off his head. That deer- head of Prajapati served from
the trunk, became the star, or rather constellation, called Mrigasiras. — T.
VAN A PABVA 593
from the top of a hill or enter into a blazing fire than live with a sorry
wretch like thee, forsaking my husband Rama, like a tigress under the
protection of a jackal ! —
When the good-natured Lakshmana, who was very fond of his
brother, heard these words, he shut his ears (with his hands) and set out
on the track that Rama had taken. And Lakshmana set out without
casting a single glance on that lady with lips soft and red like the Bimba
fruit. Meanwhile, the Rakshasa Ravana, wearing a genteel guise though
wicked at heart, and like unto fire enveloped in a heap of ashes, showed
himself there. And he appeared there in the disguise of a hermit, for
forcibly carrying away that lady of blameless character. The virtuous
daughter of Janaka, seeing him come, welcomed him with fruits and
root and a seat. Disregarding these and assuming his own proper shape,
that bull among Rakshasas began to re-assure the princess of Videha in
these words, 1 am, O Sita, the king of the Rakshasas, known by the
name of Ravana ! My delightful city, known by the name of Lanka is
on the other side of the great ocean ! There among beautiful women,
thou wilt shine with me ! O lady of beautiful lips, forsaking the
ascetic Rama do thou become my wife !' Janaka's daughter of beautiful
lips, hearing these and other words in the same strain, shut her ears and
replied unto him, saying, kDo not say so ! The vault of heaven with all
its stars may fall down, the Earth itself may be broken into fragments,
fire itself may change its nature by becoming cool, yet I cannot forsake
the descendant of Raghu ! How can a she-elephant, who hath lived
with the mighty leader of a herd with rent temples forsake him and live
with a hog ? Having once tasted the sweet wine prepared from honey
or flowers, how can a woman, I fancy, relish the wretched arrak from
rice?' Having uttered those words, she entered the cottage, her lips
trembling in wrath and her arms moving to and fro in emotion.
Ravana, however, followed her thither and intercepted her further
progress. And rudely scolded by the Rakshasa, she swooned away. But
Ravana seized her by the hair of her head, and rose up into the air.
Then a huge vulture of the name of Jatayu living on a mountain peak,
beheld that helpless lady thus weeping and calling upon Rama in great
distress while being carried away by Ravana."
SECTION CCLXXVII
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'That heroic king of the v ultures, Jatayu, hav ing
Sampati for his uterine brother and Arjuna himself for his father, was
a friend of Dasaratha. And beholding his daughter-in-law Sita on the
lap of Ravana, that ranger of the skies rushed in wrath against the king
of the Rakshasas. ^And the vulture addressed Ravana, saying, 'Leave
594 MAHABHAEATA
the princess of Mithila, leave her I say ! How canst thou, O Rakshasa,
ravish her when I am alive ? If thou dost not release my daughter-in-
law, thou shalt not escape from me with life !' And having said these
words Jatayu began to tear the king of the Rakshasas with his talons.
And he mangled him in a hundred different parts of his body by striking
him with his wings and beaks. And blood began to flow as copiously
from Rav ana's body as water from a mountain spring. And attacked
thus by that vulture desirpus of Rama's good, Ravana, taking up a sword,
cut off the two wings of that bird. And hav ing slain that king of the
vultures, huge as a mountain-peak shooting forth above the clouds, the
Rakshasa rose high in the air with Sita on his lap. And the princess of
Videha, wherever she saw an asylum of ascetics, a lake, a river, or a
tank, threw down an ornament of hers. And beholding on the top of a
mountain five foremost of monkeys, that intelligent lady threw down
amongst them a broad piece of her costly attire. And that beautiful
and yellow piece of cloth fell, fluttering through the air, amongst those
five foremost of monkeys like lightning from the clouds. And that
Rakshasa soon passed a great way through the firmament like a bird
through the air. And soon the Rakshasa beheld his delightful and char-
ming city of many gates, surrounded on all sides by high walls and built
by Viswakrit himself. And the king of the Rakshasa then entered his
own city known by the name of Lanka, accompanied by Sita/
"And while Sita was being carried away, the intelligent Rama,
having slain the great deer, retraced his steps and saw his brother
Lakshmana (on the way). And beholding his brother, Rama reproved
him, saying, 'How couldst thou come hither, leaving the princess of
Videha in a forest that is haunted by the Rakshasa ?' And reflecting on
his own enticement to a great distance by that Rakshasa in the guise of
a deer and on the arrival of his brother (leaving Sita alone in the
asylum), Rama was filled with agony. And quickly advancing towards
Lakshmana while reproving him still, Rama asked him, 'O Lakshmana, is
the princess of Videha still alive ? I fear she is no more f Then Laksh-
mana told him everything about what Sita had said, especially that
unbecoming language of hers subsequently. With a burning heart Rama
then ran towards the asylum. And on the way he beheld a vulture
huge as a mountain, lying in agonies of death. And suspecting him to
be a Rakshasa, the descendant of the Kakutstha race, along with Laksh-
mana rushed towards him, drawing with great force his bow to a circle.
The mighty vulture, however, addressing them both, said, 'Blessed be ye,
I am the king of the vultures, and friend of Dasaratha !' Hearing these
words of his, both Rama and his brother put aside their excellent bow
and said, 'Who is this one that speaketh the name of our father in these
woods ?' And then they saw that creature to be a bird destitute of two
VANA PABVA 595
wings, and that bird then told them of his own overthrow at the hands
of Ravana for the sake of Sita. Then Rama enquired of the vulture as
to the way Ravana had taken. The vulture answered him by a nod of
his head and then breathed his last. And having understood from the
sign the vulture had made that Ravana had gone towards the south,
Rama reverencing his father's friend, caused his funeral obsequies to be
duly performed. Then those chastisers of foes, Rama and Lakshmana,
rilled with grief at the abduction of the princess of Videha, took a sou-
thern path through the Dandaka woods beholding along their way many
uninhabited asylums of ascetics, scattered over with seats of Kusa grass
and umbrellas of leaves and broken water-pots, and abounding with
hundreds of jackals. And in that great forest, Rama along with Sumi-
tra's son beheld many herds of deer running in all directions. And they
heard a loud uproar of various creatures like what is heard during a fast
spreading forest conflagration. And soon they beheld a headless Rak-
shasa of terrible mien. And that Rakshasa was dark as the clouds and
huge as a mountain, with shoulders broad as those of a Sala tree, and
with arms that were gigantic. And he had a pair of large eyes on his
breast, and the opening of his mouth was placed on his capacious belly.
And that Rakshasa seized Lakshmana by the hand, without any diffi-
culty. And seized by the Rakshasa the son of Sumitra, O Bharata,
became utterly confounded and helpless. And casting his glances on
Rama, that headless Rakshasa began to draw Lakshmana towards that
part of his body where his mouth was. And Lakshmana in grief add-
ressed Rama, saying, 'Behold my plight ! The loss of thy kingdom, and
then the death of our father, and then the abduction of Sita, and finally
this disaster that hath overwhelmed me ! Alas, I shall not behold thee
return with the princess of Videha to Kosala and seated on thy ances-
tral throne as the ruler of the entire Earth ! They only that are fortu-
nate will behold thy face, like unto the moon emerged from the clouds,
after thy coronation bath in water sanctified with Kusa grass and fried
paddy and black peas !' And the intelligent Lakshmana uttered those
and other lamentations in the same strain. The illustrious descendant,
however, of Kakutstha's race undaunted amid danger, replied unto
Lakshmana, saying, 'Do not, O tiger among men, give way to grief !
What is this thing when I am here ? Cut thou off his right arm and I
shall cut off his left.' And while Rama was still speaking so, the left arm
of the monster was severed by him, cut off with a sharp scimitar, as if
indeed, that arm were a stalk of the Tila corn. The mighty son of
Sumitra then beholding his brother standing before him struck off with
his sword the right arm also of that Rakshasa. And Lakshmana also
began to repeatedly strike Rakshasa under the ribs, and then that huge
headless monster fell upon the ground and expired quickly. And then
596 MAHABHABATA
there came out from the Rakshasa's body a person of celestial make.
And he showed himself to the brothers, staying for a moment in the
skies, like the Sun in his effulgence in the firmament. And Rama skilled
in speech, asked him, saying, 'Who art thou ? Answer me who enquire
of thee ? Whence could such a thing happen ? All this seems to me
to be exceedingly wonderful !' Thus addressed by Rama, that being
replied unto him, saying, 1 am, O prince, a Gandharva of the name of
Viswavasu ! It was through the curse of a Brahmana that I had to
assume the form and nature of a Raksha. As to thyself, O Rama, Sita
hath been carried away with violence by king Ravana who dwelleth in
Lanka. Repair thou unto Sugriva who will give thee his friendship.
There, near enough to the peak of Rishyamuka is the lake known by
the name of Pampa of sacred water and cranes. There dwelleth, with
four of his counsellors, Sugriva, the brother of the monkey-king Vali
decked withva garland of gold. Repairing unto him, inform of thy
cause of sorrow. In plight very much like thy own, he will render thee
assistance. This is all that we can say. Thou wilt, without doubt, see
the daughter of Janaka ! Without doubt Ravana and others are known
to the king of the monkeys f Hav ing said these words, that celestial
being of great effulgence made himself invisible, and those heroes, both
Rama and Lakshmana, wondered much."
SECTION CCLXXVIII
( Draupadi Parana Parva continued )
"Markandeya said, 'Afflicted with grief at the abduction of Sita,
Rama had not to go much further before he came upon Pampa — that lake
which abounded with lotuses of various kinds. And fanned by the
cool, delicious and fragrant breezes in those woods, Rama suddenly
remembered his dear spouse. And, O mighty monarch, thinking of that
dear wife of his, and afflicted at the thought of his separation from her,
Rama gave way to lamentations. The son of Sumitra then addressed
him saying, 'O thou that givest proper respect to those that deserve it,
despondency such as this should not be suffered to approach thee, like
illness that can never touch an old man leading a regular life ! Thou
hast obtained information of Ravana and of the princess of Videha !
Liberate her now with exertion and intelligence ! Let us now approach
Sugriva, that foremost of monkeys, who is even now on the mountain
top ! Console thyself, when I, thy disciple and slave and ally, am near f
And addressed by Lakshmana in these and other words of the same
import, Rama regained his own nature and attended to the business
before him. And bathing in the waters of Pampa and offering oblations
therewith unto their ancestors, both those heroic brothers, Rama and
Lakshmana, set out (for Rishyamuka). And arriv ing at Rishymuka which
VAN-A PAEVA 597
abounded with fruits and roots and trees, those heroes beheld five
monkeys on the top of the mountain-peak. And seeing them approach,
Sugriva sent his counsellor the intelligent Hanuman, huge as the
Hima vat-mountains, to receive them. And the brothers, having first
exchanged words with Hanuman, approached Sugriva. And then, O king,
Rama made friends with Sugriva. And when Rama informed Sugriva
of the object he had in view, Sugriva showed him the piece of cloth
that Sita had dropped among the monkeys, while being carried away by
Ravana. And having obtained from him those credentials, Rama himself
installed Sugriva — that foremost of monkeys — in sovereignty of all the
monkeys of Earth. And Rama also pledged himself to slay Vali in
battle. And hav ing come to that understanding and placing the fullest
confidence in each other, they all repaired to Eiskindhya, desirous of
battle (with Valf). And arriving at Eiskindhya, Sugriva sent forth a
loud roar deep as that of a cataract. Unable to bear that challenge,
Vali was for coming out, (but his wife) Tara stood in way, saying,
'Himself endued with great strength, the way in which Sugriva is roaring,
showeth, I ween, that he hath found assistance ! It behoveth thee
not, therefore, to go out ! Thus addressed by her, that king of the
monkeys, the eloquent Vali, decked in a golden garland replied unto
Tara of face beautiful as the moon, saying, Thou understandest the
voice of every creature. Tell me after reflection whose help it is that
this brother in name only of mine hath obtained !' Thus addressed by
him Tara endued with wisdom and possessed of the effulgence of the
moon, answered her lord after a moment's reflection, saying, 'Listen, O
monarch of the monkeys ! That foremost of bowmen, endued with great
might, Rama the son of Dasaratha, whose spouse hath been ravished,
hath made an alliance offensive and defensive with Sugriva ! And
his brother the intelligent Lakshmana also of mighty arms, the unvan-
quished son of Sumitra, standeth beside him for the success of Sugriva's
object. And Mainda and Dwivida, and Hanuman the son of Pavana,
and Jamvuman, the king of the bears, are beside Sugriva as his coun-
sellors. All these illustrious ones are endued with great strength and
intelligence. And these all, depending upon the might and energy of
Rama, are prepared for thy destruction !' Hearing these words of hers
that were for his benefit, the king of the monkeys disregarded them
altogether. And filled with jealousy, he also suspected her to have set
her heart on Sugriva ! And addressing Tara in harsh words, he went
out of his cave and coming before Sugriva who was staying by the side
of the mountains of Malyavat, he spoke unto him thus, 'Frequently
vanquished before by me, f ond as thou art of life, thouart allowed by me
to escape with life owing to thy relationship with me ! What hath
made thee wish for death so soon ?' Thus addressed by Vali, Sugriva,
598 MAHABHAEATA
that slayer of foes, as if addressing Rama himself for informing him of
what had happened, replied unto his brother in these words of grave
import, 'O king, robbed by thee of my wife and my kingdom also, what
need have I of life ? Know that it is for this that I have come !' Then
addressing each other in these and other words of the same import, Vali
and Sugriva rushed to the encounter, fighting with Sala and Tala trees
and stones. And they struck each other down on the earth. And
leaping high into the air, they struck each other with their fists. And
mangled by each other's nail and teeth, both of them were covered
with blood. And the two heroes shone on that account like a pair of
blossoming Kinshukas. And as they fought with each other, no differ-
ence (in aspect) could be observed so as to distinguish them. Then
Hanuman placed on Sugriva's neck a garland of flowers. And that hero
thereupon shone with that garland on his neck, like the beautiful and
huge peak of Malya with its cloudy belt. And Rama, recognising
Sugriva by that sign, then drew his foremost of huge bows, aiming at
Vali as his mark. And the twang of Rama's bow resembled the roar of
an engine. And Vali, pierced in the heart by that arrow, trembled in fear.
And Vali, his heart having been pierced through, began to vomit forth
blood. And he then beheld standing before him Rama with Sumitra's
son by his side. And reproving that descendant of Kakutstha's race,
Vali fell down on the ground and became senseless. And Tara then
beheld that lord of hers possessed of the effulgence of the Moon, lying
prostrate on the bare earth. And after Vali had been thus slain, Sugriva
regained possession of Kishkindhya, and along with it, of the widowed
Tara also of face beautiful as the moon. And the intelligent Rama also
dwelt on the beautiful breast of the Malyavat hill for four months, duly
worshipped by Sugriva all the while.
"Meanwhile Rav ana excited by lust, having reached his city of
Lanka, placed Sita in an abode, resembling Nandana itself, within a forest
of Asokas that looked like an asylum of ascetics. And the large-eyed Sita
passed her days there in distress, living on fruits and roots, practising
ascetic austerities with fasts, attired in ascetic garb, and waning thin
day by day, thinking of her absent lord. And the king of the Bakshasas
appointed many fiakshasa women armed with bearded darts and swords
and lances and battle-axes and maces and flaming brands, for guarding
her. And some of these had two eyes, and some three. And some had
eyes on their foreheads. And some had long tongues and some had none.
And some had three breasts and some had only one leg. And some had
three matted braids on their heads, and some had only one eye. And
these, and others of blazing eyes and hair stiff as the camel's, stood beside
Sita surrounding her day and night most watchfully. And those Pisacha
women of frightful voice and terrible aspect always addressed that
large-eyed lady in the harshest tones. And they said, 'Let us eat her up,
let us mangle her, let us tear her into pieces, her, that is, that dwelleth
here disregarding our lord !' And filled with grief at the separation from
her lord, Sita drew a deep sigh and answered those Bakshasa women,
VAN A PABVA 599
saying, 'Reverend ladies, eat me up without delay ! I have no desire to
live without that husband of mine, of eyes like lotus-leaves and locks
wavy, and blue in hue ! Truly I will, without food and without the
least love of life, emaciate my limbs, like a she-snake (hybernating)
within a Tala tree. Know this for certain that I will never seek the
protection of any other parson than the descendant of Raghu. And
knowing this, do what ye think fit !' And hearing these words of hers,
those Bakshasas with dissonant voice went to the king of the Bakshasas,
for representing unto him all she had said. And when those Bakshasas
had gone away, one of their number known by the name of Trijata, who
was virtuous and agreeable in speech, began to console the princess of
Videha. And she said, 'Listen, O Sita ! I will tell thee something 1 O
friend, believe in what I say ! O thou of fair hips, cast off thy fears, and
listen to what I say. There is an intelligent and old chief of the
Bakshasas known by the name of Avindhya. He always seeketh Rama's
good and hath told me these words for thy sake ! 'Reassuring and cheer-
ing her, tell Sita in my name, saying : Thy husband the mighty Rama is
well and is waited upon by Lakshmana. And the blessed descendant of
Raghu hath already made friends with Sugriva, the king of the monkeys,
and is ready to act for thee ! And, O timid lady, entertain thou no fear
on account of Ravana, who is censured by the whole world, for, O
daughter, thou art safe from him on account of Nalakuv era's curse.
Indeed, this wretch had been cursed before for his having violated his
daughter-in-law, Rambha. This lustful wretch is not able to violate
any woman by force. Thy husband will soon come, protected by Sugriva
and with the intelligent son of Sumitra in his train, and will soon take
thee away hence ! O lady, I have had a most terrible dream of evil
omen, indicating the destruction of this wicked-minded wretch of
Pulastya's race ! This night wanderer of mean deeds is, indeed, most
wicked and cruel. He inspireth terror in all by the defects of his nature
and the wickedness of his conduct. And deprived of his senses by Fate,
he challengeth the very gods. In my vision I have seen every indica-
tion of his downfall. I have seen the Ten-headed, with his crown
shaven and body besmeared with oil, sunk in mire, and the next moment
dancing on a chariot drawn by mules. I have seen Kumbhakarna and
others, perfectly naked and with crowns shaven, decked with red
wreaths and unguents, and running towards the southern direction.
Vibhishana alone, with umbrella over his head, and graced with a turban,
and with body decked with white wreaths and unguents, I beheld
ascending the summit of the White hill. And I saw four of his coun-
sellors also, decked with white wreaths and unguents, ascending the
summit of that hill along with him. All this bodeth that these alone
will be saved from the impending terror. The whole earth- with its
oceans and seas will be enveloped with Rama's arrows. O lady, thy
husband will fill the whole earth with his fame. I also saw Lakshmana,
consuming all directions (with his arrows) and ascending on a heap of
bones and drinking thereon honey and rice boiled in milk. And thou,
O lady, hast been beheld by me running towards a northernly direction,
weeping and covered with blood and protected by a tiger! And, O
princess of Videha, soon wilt thou find happiness, being united, O Sita,
with thy lord, that descendant of Raghu accompanied by his brother !'
Hearing these words of Trijata, that girl with eyes like those of a young
gazelle, once more began to entertain hopes of a union with her lord.
And when at last those fierce and cruel Pisacha guards came back, they
saw her sitting with Trijata as before.1 "
SECTION CCLXXIX
( Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'And while the chaste Sita was dwelling there
afflicted with melancholy and grief on account of her lord, attired in
mean garb, with but a single jewel (on the marital thread on her wrist),
and incessantly weeping, seated on a stone, and waited upon by Rakshasa
women, Ravana, afflicted by the shafts of the god of desire, came to her
and approached her presence. And inflamed by desire, that conquerer
in battle of the gods, the Danavas, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, and the
Kimpurushas, attired in celestial robes and possessing handsome features,
decked with jewelled ear-rings and wearing a beautiful garland and
crown, entered the Asoka woods, like an embodiment of the vernal
season. And dressed with care, Ravana looked like the Kalpa tree in
Indra's garden. But though adorned with every embellishment, that
inspired her only with awe, like a beautified banian in the midst of a
cemetery. And that night- wanderer, having approached the presence
of that slender-waisted lady, looked like the planet Saturn in the
presence of Rohini. And smitten with the shafts of the god of the
flowery emblem he accosted that fair-hipped lady then affrighted like a
helpless doe, and told her these words, 'Thou hast, O Sita, shown thy
regard for thy lord too much ! O thou of delicate limbs, be merciful
unto me. Let thy person be embellished now (by these maids in
waiting). O excellent lady, accept me as thy lord ! And, O thou of
the most beautiful complexion, attired in costly robes and ornaments,
take thou the first place among all the women of my household. Many
are the daughters of the celestials and also the Gandharvas that I possess !
I am lord also of many Danava and Daitya ladies ! One hundred and
forty millions of Pisachas, twice as many man-eating Rakshasa of terrible
deed, and thrice as many Yaksha do my bidding ! Some of these are
under the sway of my brother who is the lord of all treasures. In my
drinking hall, O excellent lady of beautiful thighs, Gandharvas and
Apsaras wait on me as they do on my brother ! I am, again, the son of
that regenerate Rishi Visravas himself of high ascetic merit. I am
renowned, 'again, as the fifth Regent of the Universe ! And, O beauti-
ful lady, of food and edibles and drinks of the very best kind, I have as
much as the Lord himself of the celestials ! Let all thy troubles
consequent on a life in the woods cease ! O thou of fair hips, be my
Queen, as Mandodari herself f Thus addressed by him, the beautiful
princess of Videha, turning away and regarding him as something less
than a straw, replied unto that wanderer of the night. And at that
time the princess of Videha, that girl of beautiful hips, had her deep
and compact bosom copiously drenched by her inauspicious tears
shed ceaselessly. And she who regarded her husband as her god,
answered that mean wretch, saying, 'By sheer ill-luck it is, O king of
the Rakshasas, that I am obliged to hear such words of grievous
import spoken by thee ! Blessed be thou, O Rakshasa fond of sensual
VANA PARVA 601
pleasures, let thy heart be withdrawn from me ! I am the wife of
another, ever devoted to my husband, and, therefore, incapable of being
possessed by thee I A helpless human being that I am, I cannot be a fit
wife for thee I What joy can be thine by using violence towards an
unwilling woman ? Thy father is a wise Brahmana, born of Brahma and
equal unto that Lord himself of the creation I Why dost thou not, there-
fore, thyself being equal to a Regent of the Universe, observe virtue ?
Disgracing thy brother, that king of the Yakshas, that adorable one who
is the friend of Maheswara himself, that lord of treasures, how is it that
thou feelest no shame ?' Having said these words, Sita began to weep,
her bosom shivering in agitation, and covering her neck and face with
her garments. And the long and well-knit braid, black and glossy, fall-
ing from the head of the weeping lady, looked like a black snake. And
hearing these cruel words uttered by Sita, the foolish Ravana, although
thus rejected, addressed Sita once more, saying, 'O lady, let the god hav-
ing the Makara for his emblem burn me sorely. I will, however, on no
account, O thou of sweet smiles and beautiful hips, approach thee, as
thou art unwilling ! What can I do to thee that still feelest a regard for
Rama who is only a human being and, therefore, our food ?' Having said
those words unto that lady of faultless features, the king of the Eakshasa
made himself invisible then and there and went away to the place he
liked. And Sita, surrounded by those Eakshasa women, and treated
with tenderness by Trijata, continued to dwell there in grief."
SECTION CCLXXX
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued}
"Markandeya said, 'Meanwhile the illustrious descendent of Raghu,
along with his brother, hospitably treated by Sugriva, continued to
dwell on the breast of the Malyavat hill, beholding every day the clear
blue sky. And one night, while gazing from the mountain-top on the
bright moon in the cloudless sky surrounded by planets and stars and
stellar bodies, that slayer of foes was suddenly awakened (to a remem-
brance of Sita) by the cold breezes fragrant with the perfumes of the
lily, lotus and other flowers of the same species. And virtuous Rama,
dejected in spirits at the thought of Sita's captivity in the abode of the
Rakshasa, addressed the heroic Lakshmana in the morning saying, 'Go,
Lakshmana and seek in Kishkindhya that ungrateful king of the mon-
keys, who understand well his own interest and is even now indulging
in dissipations, that foolish wretch of his race whom I have installed on
a throne and to whom all apes and monkeys and bears owe allegiance,
that fellow for whose sake, O mighty-armed perpetuator of Raghu's race,
Vali was slain by me with thy help in the wood of Kishkindhya ! I
regard that worst of monkeys on earth to be highly ungrateful, for, O
77
602 MAHABHAEATA
Lakshmana, that wretch hath now forgotten me who am sunk in such
distress ! I think he is unwilling to fulfil his pledge, disregarding, from
dullness of understanding, one who hath done him such serv ices ! If
thou findest him luke-warm and rolling in sensual joys, thou must then
send him, by the path Vali hath been made to follow, to the common
goal of all creatures ! If, on the other hand, thou seest that foremost of
monkeys delight in our cause, then, O descendant of Kakutstha, shouldst
thou bring him hither with thee ! Be quick, and delay not !' Thus
addressed by his brother, Lakshmana ever attentive to the behests and
welfare of his superiors, set out taking with him his handsome bow with
string and arrows. And reaching the gates of Kishkindhya, he entered
the city unchallenged. And knowing him to be angry, the monkey-king
advanced to receive him. And with his wife, Sugriva the king of the
monkeys, with a humble heart, joyfully received him with due honours.
And the dauntless son of Sumitra then told him what Rama had said.
And having heard everything in detail, O mighty monarch, Sugriva,
the king of the monkeys with his wife and servants, joined his hands,
and cheerfully said unto Lakshmana, that elephant among men, these
words : 1 am, O Lakshmana, neither wicked, nor ungrateful, nor desti-
tute of virtue ! Hear what efforts I have made for finding out Si ta's
place of captivity ! I have despatched diligent monkeys in all directions.
All of them have stipulated to return within a month. They will, O
hero, search the whole earth with her forests and hills and seas, he:
villages and towns and cities and mines. Only five nights are wanting
to complete that month, and then thou wilt, with Rama, hear tidings
great joy !'
"Thus addressed by that intelligent king of the monkeys, the high-
souled Lakshmana became appeased, and he in his turn worship!
Sugriva. And accompanied by Sugriva, he returned, to Rama on th<
breast of the Malyav at hill. And approaching him, Lakshmana inform-
ed him of the beginning already made in respect of his undertaking
And soon thousands of monkey-chiefs began to return, after havii
carefully searched the three quarters of the earth, viz., the North, th<
East and the West. But they that had gone towards the South did n<
make their appearance. And they that came back represented to Rai
saying that although they had searched the whole earth with her
of seas, yet they could not find either the princess of Videhaor Ravanz
But that descendant of Kakutstha's race, afflicted at heart, managed
live yet, resting his hopes (of hearing Sita's tidings) on the great Moi
keys that had gone towards the South.
"After the lapse of two months, several monkeys seeking wil
haste the presence of Sugriva, addressed him, saying, 'O king, that fon
most of monkeys, the son of Pavana, as also Angada, the son of Vali,
VANA PARVA 603
and the other great monkeys whom thou hadst despatched to search the
southern region, have come back and are pillaging that great and excell-
ent orchard called Madhuvana, which was always guarded by Vali and
which hath been well-guarded by thee also after him !' Hearing of this
act of liberty on their part, Sugriva inferred the success of their
mission, for it is only servants that have been crowned with success
that can act in this way. And that intelligent and foremost of monkeys
communicated his suspicions to Rama. And Rama also, from this, guess-
ed that the princess of Mithila had been seen. Then Hanuman and
the other monkeys, having refreshed themselves thus, came towards
their king, who was then staying with Rama and Lakshmana. And, O
Bharata, observing the gait of Hanuman and the colour of his face,
Rama was confirmed in the belief that Hanuman had really seen Sita.
Then those successful monkeys with Hanuman at their head, duly
bowel unto Rama and Lakshmana and Sugriva. And Rama then taking
up his bow and quiver, addressed those monkeys, saying, 'Have you been
successful ? Will ye impart life unto me ? Will ye once more enable
me to reign in Ayodhya after having slain my enemy in battle and
rescued the daughter of Janaka ? With the princess of Videha unres-
cued, and the foe unslain in battle, I dare not live, robbed of wife and
honour f Thus addressed by Rama, the son of Pavana, replied unto him,
saying, 1 bring thee good news, O Rama ; for Janaka's daughter hath
been seen by me. Having searched the southern region with all its hills,
forests, and mines for some time, we became very weary. At length we
beheld a great cavern. And having beheld it, we entered that cavern
which extended over many Yojanas. It was dark and deep and over-
grown with trees and infested by worms. And having gone a great way
through it, we came upon sun-shine and beheld a beautiful palace. It
was, O Raghava, the abode of the Daitya Maya. And there we beheld
a female ascetic named Prabhavati engaged in ascetic austerities. And
she gave us food and drink of various kinds. And having refreshed
ourselves therewith and regained our strength, we proceeded along the
way shown by her. At last we came out of the cavern and beheld the
brimy sea, and on its shores, the Saliya, the Malaya and the great
Dardura mountains. And ascending the mountains of Malaya, we beheld
before us the vast ocean.1 And beholding it we felt sorely grieved in
mind. And dejected in spirits and afflicted with pain and famishing
with hunger, we despaired of returning with our lives. Casting our
eyes on the great ocean extending over many hundreds of Yojanas and
abounding in whales and alligators and other aquatic animals, we became
anxious and filled with grief. We then sat together, resolved to die
there of starvation. And in course of conversation we happened to
1 Abode of Varuna in the original.
604 MAHABHARATA
talk of the valture Jatayu. Just than we saw a bird huge as a mountain,
of frightful form, and inspiring terror into every heart, like a second son
of Vinata1. And coining upon us unawares for devouring us, he said,
'Who are ye that are speaking thus of my brother Jatayn, ? I am his
elder brother, by name Sainpati, and am the king of birds. Once upon
a time, we two, with the desire of outstripping each other, flew towards
the sun. My wings got burnt, but those of Jatayu were not. That was
the last time I saw my beloved brother Jatayu, the king of vultures !
My wings burnt, I fell down upon tha top of this great mountain where
I still am !' When he finished speaking, we informed him of the death
of his brother in a few words and also of this calamity that hath befallen
thee ! And, O king, the powerful Sampati hearing this unpleasant news
from us, was greatly afflicted and again enquired of us, saying, 'Who is
this Rama and why was Sita carried off and how was Jatayu slain ? Ye
foremost of monkeys, I wish to hear everything in detail !' We then
informed him of everything about this calamity of thine and of the rea-
son also of our vow of starvation. That king of birds then urged us
(to give up our vow) by these words of his : 'Ravana is, indeed, known
to me. Lanka is his capital. I beheld it on the other side of the sea in
a valley of the Trikuta hills ! Sita must be there. I have little doubt
of this f Hearing these words of his, we rose up quickly and began, O
chastiser of foes, to take counsel of one another for crossing the ocean !
And when none dared to cross it, I, having recourse to my father, cross-
ed the great ocean which is a hundred Yojanas in width. And having
slain the Rakshasis on the waters, I saw the chaste Sita within Rav ana's
harem, observing ascetic austerities, eager to behold her lord, with
matted locks on head, and body besmeared with filth, and lean, and
melancholy and helpless. Recognising her as Sita by those unusual signs,
and approaching that worshipful lady while alone, I said, 'I am, O Sita,
an emissary of Rama and monkey begotten by Pavana !2 Desirous of
having a sight of thee, hither have I come travelling through the skies !
Protected by Sugriva, that monarch of all the monkeys, the royal
brothers Rama and Lakshmana are in peace ! And Rama, O lady, with
Sumitra's son, hath enquired of thy welfare ! And Sugriva also, on
account of his friendship (with Rama and Lakshmana) enquireth of thy
welfare. Followed by all the monkeys, thy husband will soon be here.
Confide in me, O adorable lady, I am a monkey and not a Rakshasa F
Thus addressed by me, Sita seemed to meditate for a moment and then
replied to me, saying, 'From the words of Avindhya I know that thou art
Hanuman ! O mighty-armed one, Avindhya is an old and respected
Rakshasa I He told me that Sugriva is surrounded by counsellors like
thee. Thou mayst depart now !' And with these words she gave me
this jewel as a credential. And, indeed, it was by means of this jewel
that the faultless Sita had been able to support her existence. And the
daughter of Janaka further told me as a token from her, that by thee, O
tiger among men, a blade of grass (inspired with Mantras and thus con-
verted into a fatal weapon) had once been shot at a crow while ye were
on the breast of the mighty hill known by the name of Chitrakutal And
this she said as evidence of my having met her and hers being really
the princess of Videha. I then caused myself to be seized by Rav ana's
soldiers, and then set fire to the city of Lanka !' "
1 Gadura.
% Pavana, the god of the wind.
SECTION CCLXXXI
(Draupadi-hamna Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'It was on the breast of that very hill where
Rama was seated with those foremost of monkeys that great monkey
chiefs at the command of Sugriva, began to flock together. The father-
in-law of Vali, the illustrious Sushena, accompanied by a thousand crores
of active apes, came to Rama. And those two foremost of monkeys
endued with mighty energy, viz., Gaya andGavakshya, each accompanied
by a hundred crores of monkeys, showed themselves there. And, O
king, Gavakshya also of terrible mien and endued with a bovine tail,
showed himself there, having collected sixty thousand crores of monkeys.
And the renowned Gandhamadana, dwelling on the mountains of khe
same name, collected a hundred thousand crores of monkeys. And 'the
intelligent and mighty monkey known by the name of Panasa mustered
together fifty-two crores of monkeys.1 And that foremost and illustri-
ous of monkeys named Dadhimukha of mighty energy mustered a large
army of monkeys possessed of terrible prowess. And Jamvuvan
showed himself there with a hundred thousand crores of black bears of
terrible deeds and faces having the Tilaka mark.2 And these and many
other chiefs of monkey-chiefs, countless in number, O king, came there
for aiding Rama's cause. And endued with bodies huge as mountain-peaks
and roaring like lions, loud was the uproar that was heard there made
by those monkeys running restlessly from place to place. And some of
them looked like mountain-peaks, and some looked like buffaloes. And
some were of the hue of autumnal clouds and the faces of some were red
as vermillion. And some rose high, and some fell down, and some cut
capers, and some scattered the dust, as they mustered together from
various directions. And that monkey army, vast as the sea at full tide,
encamped there at Sugriva's bidding. And after those foremost of
monkeys had mustered from every direction, the illustrious descendant
of Raghu, with Sugriva by his side, set out in an auspicious moment of
a v ery fair day under a lucky constellation, accompanied by that host
arrayed in order of battle, as if for the purpose of destroying all the
worlds. And Hanuman, the son of the Wind-god, was in the van of
that host, while the rear was protected by the fearless son of Sumitra.
And surrounded by the monkey-chiefs, those princes of Raghu s house
with fingers cased in guana skin, shone, as they went, like the Sun and the
Moon in the midst of the planets. And that monkey host armed with
stones and Sala and Tala trees, looked very much like a far-extending
field of corn under the morning sun. And that mighty army, protected
1 There is a difference of reading here. Some texts read fifty seven.
2 A difference of reading is observable here. — T.
606 MAHABHARAl:A
by Nala and Nila and Angada and Kratha and Mainda and Dwivida,
marched forth for achieving the purpose of Raghava. And encamping
successively, without interruption of any kind, on wide and healthy tracts
and valleys abounding with fruits and roots and water and honey and meat,
the monkey host at last reached the shores of the brimy sea. And like
unto a second ocean, that mighty army with its countless colours, having
reached the shores of sea, took up its abode there. Then the illustrious
son of Dasaratha, addressing Sugriva amongst all those foremost mon-
keys, spoke unto him these words that were suited to the occasion, 'This
army is large. The ocean also is difficult to cross. What contrivance,
therefore, commends itself to thee for crossing the ocean ?' At these
words, many vain-glorious monkeys answered, 'We are fully able to cross
the sea.' This answer, however, was not of much use, as all could not avail
of that means. Some of the monkeys proposed to cross the sea in boats,
and some in rafts of various kinds. Rama, however, conciliating them
all, said, 'This cannot be. 'The sea here is a full hundred Yojanas in
width. All the monkeys, ye heroes, will not be able to cross it. This
proposal, therefore, that ye have made, is not consonant to reason.
Besides we have not the number of boats necessary for carrying all our
troops. How, again, can one like us raise such obstacles in the way of
the merchants ? Our army is very large. The foe will make a great
havoc if a hole is detected. Therefore, to cross the sea in boats and
rafts doth not recommend itself to me. I will, however, pray to the
Ocean for the necessary means. Foregoing food, I will lie down on the
shore. He will certainly show himself to me. If, however, he doth not
show himself, I will chastise him then by means of my great weapons
that are more blazing than fire itself and are incapable of being baffled f
Having said these words, both Rama and Lakshmana touched
water l and duly laid themsel v es down on a bed of Jcusa grass on the sea-
shore. The divine and illustrious Ocean then that lord of male and
female rivers, surrounded by aquatic animals, appeared unto Rama in a
vision. And addressing Rama in sweet accents, the genius of the Ocean,
surrounded by countless mines of gems, said, 'O son of Kausalya, tell me
what aid, O bull among men, I am to render thee I I also have sprung
from the race of Ikshaku 2 and am, therefore, a relative of thine f Rama
replied unto him, saying, 'O lord of rivers, male and female, I desire thee
to grant me a way for my troops, passing along which I may slay the
Ten- headed (Havana), that wretch of Pulastya's race ! If thou dost not
1 As a purificatory ceremony, called the Achamana. To this day,
no Hindu can perform any ceremony without going through the Achamana
in the first instance. — T.
2 Tradition represents the sons of king Sagara of the Ikshaku race
as the excavator of the ocean. Hence the ocean is called Sagara — T.
VANA PARVA 607
grant the way I beg of thee, I will then dry thee up by means of my
celestial arrows inspired with mantras f And hearing these words of
Rama, the genius of Varuna's abode, joining his hands, answered in great
affliction, 'I do not desire to put any obstacle in thy way. I am no foe
of thine! Listen, O Rama, to these words, and having listened, do
what is proper ! If, at thy command, I get a way for the passage of thy
army, others then, from strength of their bows, will command me to do
the same ! In thy army there is a monkey of the name of Nala, who is
a skilful mechanic. And endued with great strength, Nala is the son of
Tashtri, the divine artificer of the Universe. And whether it is wood,
or grass or stone, that he will throw into my waters, I will support
the same on my surface, and thus wilt thou have a bridge (over which
to pass) !' And. having said these words, the genius of the Ocean dis-
appeared. And Rama awaking, called Nala unto him and said, 'Build thou
a bridge over the sea ! Thou alone, I am sure, art able to do it f And
it was by this means that the descendant of Kakutstha's race caused a
bridge to be built that was ten Yojanas in width and a hundred Yojanas
in length. And to this day that bridge is celebrated over all the world
by the name of Nalas bridge. And having completed that birdge, Nala,
of body huge as a hill, came away at the command of Rama.
"And while Rama was on this side of the ocean, the virtuous Vibhi-
shana, the brother of the king of the Rakshasas, accompanied by four of
his counsellors, came unto Rama. And the high-souled Rama received
him with due welcome. Sugriva, however, feared, thinking he might
be a spy. The son of Raghu, meanwhile, perfectly satisfied (with Vibhi-
shana) in consequence of the sincerity of his exertions and the many
indications of his good conduct, worshipped him with respect. And he
also installed Vibhishana in the sovereignty of all the Rakshasas and
made him his own junior counsellor, and a friend of Lakshmana's. And
it was under Vibhishana' s guidance, O king, that Rama with all his
troops crossed the great ocean by means of that bridge in course of a
month. And having crossed the ocean and arrieved at Lanka, Rama
caused its extensive and numerous gardens to be devastated by his
monkeys. And while Rama's troops were there, two of Rav ana's coun-
sellors and officers, named Suka and Sarana, who had come as spies,
having assumed the shape of monkeys, were seized by Vibhishana. And
when those wanderers of the night assumed their real Rakshasa forms,
Rama showed them his troop and dismissed them quietly. And having
quartered his troops in those woods that skirted the city, Rama then
sent the monkey Angada with great wisdom as his envoy to Rav ana."
SECTION CCLXXXII
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'Having quartered his army in those groves
abounding with food and water and with fruits and roots, the descendant
of Kakutstha began to watch over them with care. Ravana, on the
other hand, planted in his city many appliances constructed according
to the rules of military science. And his city, naturally impregnable
on account of its strong ramparts and gate- ways, had seven trenches,
that were deep and full of water to the brim and that abounded with
fishes and sharks and alligators, made more impregnable still by means
of pointed stakes of Khadira wood. And the ramparts, heaped with
stones, were made impregnable by means of catapults. And the warriors
(who guarded the walls) were armed with earthen pots filled with
venomous snakes, and with resinous powders of many kinds. And they
were also armed with clubs, and fire-brands and arrows and lances and
swords and battle-axes. And they had also Sataghnis1 and stout maces
steeped in wax.2 And at all the gates of the city were planted movable
and immovable encampments manned by large numbers of infantry
supported by countless elephants and horses. And Angada, having
reached one of the gates of the city, was made known to the Rakshasas.
And he entered the town without suspicion or fear. And surrounded
by countless Rakshasas, that hero in his beauty looked like the Sun him-
self in the midst of masses of clouds. And having approached the hero
of Pulastya's race in the midst of his counsellors, the eloquent Angada
saluted the king and began to deliver Rama's message in these words,
'That descendant of Raghu, O king, who ruleth at Kosala and whose
renown hath spread over the whole world, sayeth unto thee these words
suited to the occasion. Accept thou that message and act according
to it ! Prov inces and towns, in consequence of their connection with
sinful kings incapable of controlling their souls, are themselves polluted
and destroyed. By the violent abduction of Sita, thou alone hast
injured me ! Thou, however, wilt become the cause of death to many
unoffending persons. Possessed of power and filled with pride, thou hast,
before this, slain many Eishis living in the woods, and insulted the very
gods. Thou hast slain also many great kings and many weeping women. For
those transgressions of thine, retribution is about to overtake thee! I will
slay thee with thy counsellors. Fight and show thy courage !3 O wanderer
of the night, behold the power of my bow, although I am but a man ! Release
Sita, the daughter of Janaka ! If thou dost not release her, I shall make
the Earth div ested of all Rakshasas with my keen-edged arrows !' Hearing
these defiant words of the enjoy, king Ravana bore them ill, becoming
senseless with wrath. And thereupon four Rakshasas skilled in reading
1 Lib, an engine killing a hundred. Perhaps, some kind of rude cannon.-T.
2 Perhaps, brands or torches steeped in wax, intended to be thrown in
a burning state, amongst the foe. Eeaders of Indian history know how
Lord Lake was repulsed from Bharatpore by means of huge bales of cotton,
steeped in oil, rolled from the ramparts of that town, in a burning state,
towards the advancing English. — T.
8 Lit, Be a Purusha (male) ! Manhood would not be appropriate in
connection with a Bakshasa. — T.
VANA PAEVA 609
every sign of their master, seized Angada like four hawks seizing a tiger.
With those Rakshasas, however, holding him fast by his limbs, Angada
leaped upwards and alighted on the palace terrace. And as he leaped up
with a great force, those wanderers of the night fell down the earth,
and bruised by the violence of the fall, had their ribs broken. And from
the golden terrace on which he. had alighted, he took a downward leap.
And overleaping the walls of Lanka, he alighted to where his comrades
were. And approaching the presence of the lord of Kosala and informing
him of everything, the monkey Angada endued with great energy
retired to refresh himself, dismissed with due respect by Rama.
The descendant of Raghu then caused the ramparts of Lanka to be
broken down by a united attack of all those monkeys endued with the
speed of the wind. Then Lakshmana, with Vibhishana and the king of
the bears marching in the van, blew up the southern gate of the city that
was almost impregnable. Rama then attacked Lanka with a hundred
thousand crores of monkeys, all possessed of great skill in battle, and
endued with reddish complexions like those of young camels. And those
crores of greyish bears with long arms, and legs and huge paws, and
generally supporting themselves on their broad haunches, were also
urged on to support the attack. And in consequence of those monkeys
leaping up and leaping down and leaping in transverse directions, the Sun
himself, his bright disc completely shaded, became invisible for the dust
they raised. And the citizens of Lanka beheld the wall of their town
assume all over a tawny hue, covered by monkeys of complexions yellow
as the ears of paddy, and grey as Shirisha flowers, and red as the rising
Sun, and white as flax or hemp. And the Rakshasas, O king, with their
wives and elders, were struck with wonders at that sight. And the
monkey warriors began to pull down pillars made of precious stones and
the terraces and tops of palatial mansions. And breaking into fragments
the propellers of catapults and other engines, they began to cast them
about in all directions. And taking up the Sataghnis along with the discs,
the clubs, and stones, they threw them down into the city with great
force and loud noise. And attacked thus by the monkeys, those Rakshasas
that had been placed on the walls to guard them, fled precipitately by
hundreds and thousands.
"Then hundreds of thousands of Rakshasas, of terrible mien, and
capable of assuming any form at will, came out at the command of the
king. And pouring a perfect shower of arrows and driving the denizens
of the forest, those warriors, displaying great prowess, adorned the ram-
parts. And soon those wanders of the night, looking like masses of flesh,
and of terrible mien, forced the monkeys to leave the walls. And
mangled by the enemies' lances, numerous monkey -chief s fell down from
the ramparts, and crushed by the falling columns and gate-ways, numer-
78
MAHABHAEATA
ous Rakshasas also fell down to rise no more. And the monkeys and the
brave Rakshasas that commenced to eat up the foe, struggled, seizing one
another by the hair, and mangling and tearing one another with their nails
and teeth. And the monkeys and the Rakshasas roared and yelled
frightfully, and while many of both parties were slain and fell down to
rise no more, neither side gave up the contest. And Rama continued all
the while to shower a thick downpour of arrows like the very clouds.
And the arrows he shot, enveloping Lanka, killed large numbers of
Rakshasas. And the son of Sumitra, too, that mighty bowman incapable
of being fatigued in battle, naming particular Rakshasas stationed on the
ramparts, slew them with his clothyard shafts. And then the monkey
host, having achieved success was withdrawn at the command of Rama,
after it had thus pulled down the fortifications of Lanka and made all
objects within the city capable of being aimed at by thebeseiging force."
SECTION CCLXXXIII
( Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'And while those troops (thus withdrawn) were
reposing themselves in their quarters, many little Rakshasas andPisachas
owning Ravana as their leader, penetrated amongst them. And among
these were Parvana, Patana, Jambha, Khara, Krodha-vasa, Hari, Praruja,
Aruja and Praghasa, and others. And as these wicked ones were pene-
trating (the monkey host) in their invisible forms, Vibhishana, who had
the knowledge thereof, broke the spell of their invisibility. And once
seen, O king, by the powerful and long-leaping monkeys, they were all
slain and prostrated on the earth, deprived of life. And unable to endure
this, Ravana marched out at the head of his troops. And surrounded by
his terrible army of Rakshasas and Pisachas, Ravana who was conver-
sant with the rules of warfare like a second Usanas invested the monkey
host, having disposed his troops in that array which is named after
Usanas himself. And beholding Ravana advancing with his army dis-
posed in that array, Rama, following the mode recommended by Vrihas-
pati, disposed his troops in counter array for opposing that wanderer of
the night. And coming up quickly, Ravana began to fight with Rama.
And Lakshmana singled out Indrajit, and Sugriva singled out Viru-
pakshya, and Nikharvata fought with Tara, and Nala with Tunda, and
Patusa with Panasa. And each warrior, advancing up to him whom he
regarded as his match, began to fight with him on that field of battle,
relying on the strength of his own arms, and that encounter, so frightful
to timid persons, soon became terrible and fierce like that between the
gods and the Asuras in the days of old. And Ravana covered Rama
with a shower of darts and lances and swords, and Rama also afflicted
Ravana with his whetted arrows of iron furnished with the sharpest
VANA PABVA 611
points, and in the same way Lakshmana smote the contending Indrajit
with arrows capable of penetrating into the most vital parts and Indrajit
also smote Sumitra's son with an arrowy shower. And Vibhishana
showered upon Prahasta and Prahasta showered upon Vibhishana,
without any regard for each other a thick downpour of winged arrows
furnished with the sharpest points. And thus between those mighty
warriors there came about an encounter of celestial weapons of great
force, at which the three worlds with their mobile and immobile
creatutes were sorely distressed."
SECTION CCLXXXIV
( Draupadi-harana Parva continued )
"Markandeya said, "Then Prahasta, suddenly advancing up to
Vibhishana and uttering a loud yell, struck him with his mace. But
though struck with that mace of terrible force, the mighty-armed Vibhi-
shana of great wisdom, without wav ering in the least, stood still as the
mountains of Himavat. Then Vibhishana, taking up a huge and mighty
javelin furnished with a hundred bells, inspired it with mantras and hurled
it at the head of his adversary. And by the impetuosity of that weapon
rushing with the force of the thunderbolt, Prahasta's head was severed
off, and he thereupon looked like a mighty tree broken by the wind.
And beholding that wanderer of the night, Prahasta, thus slain in battle,
Dhumraksha rushed with great impetuosity against the monkey-host.
And beholding the soldiers of Dhumraksha, looking like the clouds and
endued with terrible mien, advancing up towards them, the monkey- chief
suddenly broke and fled. And seeing those foremost of monkeys suddenly
give way, that tiger among monkeys, Hanuman, the son of Pavana,
began to advance. And beholding the son of Pavana staying still on
the field of battle, the retreating monkeys, O king, one and all quickly
rallied. Then mighty and great and fearful was the uproar that arose
there in consequence of the warriors of Rama and Ravana rushing
against each other. And in that battle which raged terribly the field
soon became miry with blood. And Dhumraksha afflicted the monkey-
host with volleys of winged shafts. Then that vanquisher of foes,
Hanuman, the son of Pavana, quickly seized that advancing leader of
the Rakshasa. And the encounter that took place between that monkey
and the Rakshasa hero, is desirous of defeating the other, was fierce and
terrible, like that of Indra and Prahlada (in days of yore). And the
Rakshasa struck the monkey with his maces and spiked clubs while the
monkey struck the Rakshasa with trunks of trees unshorn of their
branches. Then Hanuman, the son of Pavana, slew in great wrath that
Rakshasa along with his charioteer and horses and broke his chariot
also into pieces. And beholding Dhumraksha, that foremost of Rakshasa,
612 MAHABHARATA
thus slain, the monkeys, abandoning all fear, rushed against the Rakshasa
army with great valour. And slaughtered in large numbers by the
victorious and powerful monkeys, the Rakshasas became dispirited and
fled in fear to Lanka. And the surviving wreck of the Rakshasa army,
having reached the city, informed king Ravana of everything that had
happened. And hearing from them that Prahasta and that mighty archer
Dhumraksha, had both, with their armies, been slain by the powerful
monkeys, Ravana drew a deep sigh and springing up from his excellent
seat, said, — the time is come for Kumbhakarna to act. — And hav ing said
this, he awake, by means of various loud-sounding instruments, his brother
Kumbhakarna from his deep and prolonged slumbers. And having awak-
ed him with great efforts, the Rakshasa king, still afflicted with anxiety,
addressed the mighty Kumbhakarna and said unto him when seated
at his ease on his bed, having perfectly recovered consciousness and self-
possession, these words, 'Thou, indeed, art happy, O Kumbhakarna, that
canst enjoy profound and undisturbed repose, unconscious of the terrible
calamity that hath overtaken us ! Rama with his monkey host hath crossed
the Ocean by a bridge and disregarding us all is waging a terrible war
(against us). I have stealthily brought away his wife Sita, the daughter
of Janaka, and it is to recover her that he hath come hither, after
having made a bridge over the great Ocean. Our great kinsmen also,
Prahasta and others, have already been slain by him. And, O scourge
of thy enemies, there is not another person, save thee, that can slay
Rama ! Therefore, O warrior, putting on thy armour, do thou set
out this day for the purpose of vanquishing Rama and his followers !
The two younger brothers of Dushana, viz., Vajravega and Promathin,
will join thee with their forces !' And having said this unto the mighty
Kumbhakarna, the Rakshasa king gave instructions to Vajravega and
Promathin as to what they should do. And accepting his advice, those
two warlike brothers of Dushana quickly marched out of the city,
preceded by Kumbhakarna."
SECTION CCLXXXV
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, "Then Kumbhakarna set out from the city,
accompanied by his followers. And soon he beheld the victorious
monkey troops encamped before him. And passing them by with the
object of seeking out Rama, he beheld the son of Sumitra standing at
his post, bow in hand. Then the monkey warriors, speedily advancing
towards him, surrounded him on all sides. And then they commenced
to strike him with numberless large trees. And many amongst them
fearlessly began to tear his body with their nails. And those monkeys
began to fight with him in various ways approved by the laws of
VANA PAEVA 613
warfare. And they soon overwhelmed that chief of the Rakshasas
with a shower of terrible weapons of various kinds. And attacked by
them thus, Kumbhakarna only laughed at them and began to eat them
up. And he devoured those foremost of monkeys known by the name
of Chala, and Chandachala, and Vajravahu. And beholding that fear-
ful act of the Rakshasa, other monkeys were frightened and set forth
a loud wail of fear. And hearing the screams of those monkey-leaders,
Sugriva boldly advanced towards Kumbhakarna. And that high-souled
king of the monkeys swiftly approaching the Rakshasa, violently struck
him on the head with the trunk of a Sala tree. And though the high-
souled Sugriva always prompt in action broke that Sala tree on the head
of Kumbhakarna, he failed to make any impression on that Rakshasa.
And then, as if roused from his torpor by that blow, Kumbhakarna
stretching forth his arms seized Sugriva by main force. And beholding
Sugriva dragged away by the Rakshasa, the heroic son of 'Sumitra, that
delighter of his friends, rushed towards Kumbhakarna. And that slayer
of hostile heroes, Lakshmana, advancing towards Kumbhakarna, dis-
charged at him an impetuous and mighty arrow furnished with golden
wings. And that arrow, cutting through his coat of mail and penetra-
ting into his body, passed through it outright and struck into the earth,
stained with the Rakshasa 's blood. Kumbhakarna then, having his breast
thus bored through, released the king of monkeys. And taking up a
huge mass of stone as his weapon, the mighty warrior Kumbhakarna
then rushed towards the son of Sumitra, aiming it at him. And as the
Rakshasa rushed towards him, Lakshmana cut off his upraised arms by
means of a couple of keen-edged shafts furnished with heads resembling
razors. But as soon as the two arms of the Rakshasa were thus cut off,
double that number of arms soon appeared on his person. Sumitra's son
however, displaying his skill in weapon, soon by means of similar arrows
cut off those arms also, each of which had seized a mass of stone. At
this, that Rakshasa assumed a form enormously huge and furnished with
numerous heads and legs and arms. Then the son of Sumitra rived,
with a Brahma weapon, that warrior looking like an assemblage of hill.
And rent by means of that celestial weapon, that Rakshasa fell on the
field of battle like a huge tree with spreading branches suddenly con-
sumed by heaven's thunderbolt. And beholding Kumbhakarna endued
with great activity and resembling the Asura Vritra himself, deprived
of life and prostrated on the field of battle, the Rakshasa warriors fled
in fear. And beholding the Rakshasa warriors running away from the
field of battle, the younger brother of Dushana, rallying them, rushed in
great wrath upon the son of Sumitra. Sumitra's son, however, with a
loud roar, received with his winged shafts both those wrathful warriors,
Vajravega and Promathin, rushing towards him. The battle then, O
614 MAHABHARATA
son of Pritha, that took place between those two younger brothers of
Dushana on the one hand and the intelligent Lakshmana on
the other, was exceedingly furious and made the bristles of the
spectators stand on end. And Lakshmana overwhelmed the twoRaksha-
sas with a perfect shower of arrows. And those two Rakshasa heroes,
on the other hand, both of them excited with fury, covered Lakshmana
with an arrowy hail. And thar terrible encounter between Vajraveja
and Promathin and the mighty-armed Lakshmana lasted for a short
while. And Hanumana, the son of Pavana, taking up a mountain peak,
rushed towards one of the brothers, and with that weapon took the life
of the Rakshasa Vajravega. And that mighty monkey, Nala, also, with
a large mass of rock, crushed Promathin, that other younger brother of
Dushana. The deadly struggle, however, between the soldiers of Rama
and Ravana, rushing against one another, instead of coming to an end
even after this, raged on as before. And hundreds of Rakshasas were
slain by the denizens of the forest, while many of the latter were slain
by the former. The loss, however, in killed, of the Rakshasas was far
greater than that of the monkeys.
SECTION CCLXXXVI
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'Learning that Kumbhakarna had with his
followers, fallen in battle as also that great warrior Prahasta, and Dhum-
raksha too of mighty energy, Ravana then addressed his heroic son
Indrajit saying, 'O slayer of foes, slay thou in battle Rama and Sugriva
and Lakshmana. My good son, it was by thee that this blazing fame of
mine had been acquired by v anguishing in battle that wielder of the
thunder-bolt, the thousand-eyed Lord of Sachi ! Having the power of
appearing and vanishing at thy will, slay thou, O smiter of foes, my
enemies by means, O thou foremost of all wielders of weapons, of thy
celestial arrows received as boons (from the gods) ! Rama and Laksh-
mana and Sugriva are incapable of enduring the bare touch of thy wea-
pons. What shall I say, therefore, of their followers ? That cessation
of hostilities which could not be brought about by either Prahasta or
Kumbhakarna in battle, be it thine, O mighty-armed one, to bring about !
Slaying my enemies with all their army by means of thy keen-edged
shafts, enhance my joy to-day, O son, as thou didst once before by van-
quishing Vasava !' Thus addressed by him, Indrajit said— So be it,— and
encased in mail he quickly ascended his chariot, and proceeded, O king,
towards the field of battle. And then that bull amongst Rakshasas loudly
announcing his own name, challenged Lakshmana endued with auspici-
ous marks, to a single combat. And Lakshmana, thus challenged, rushed
towards that Rakshasa, with his bow and arrows, and striking terror
VANA PABVA 615
into his adversary's heart by means of the flapping of his bow-string on
the leathern case of his left hand. And the encounter that took place
between those warriors that defied each other's prowess and each of
whom was desirous of vanquishing the other, and both of whom were
conversant with celestial weapons, was terrible in the extreme. But
when the son of Ravana found that he could not by his arrows gain any
advantage over his adversary, that foremost of mighty warriors muster-
ed all his energy. And Indrajit then began to hurl at Lakshmana with
great force numberless javelins. The son of Sumitra, however, cut
them into fragments by means of his own keen-edged arrows. And
those javelins, thus cut into pieces by the keen-edged arrows of Laksh-
mana, dropped down upon the ground. Then the handsome Angada, the
son of Vali, taking up a large tree, rushed impetuously at Indrajit and
struck him with it on the head. Undaunted at this, Indrajit of mighty
energy sought to smite Angada with a lance. Just at that juncture, how-
ever, Lakshmana cut into pieces the lance taken up by Rav ana's son.
The son of Ravana then took up a mace and struck on the left flank
that foremost of monkeys, the heroic Angada who was then staying close
beside him. Angada, the powerful son of Vali, little recking that stroke,
hurled at Indrajit a mighty Sal stem. And hurled in wrath by Angada
for the destruction of Indrajit, that tree, O son of Pritha, destroyed
Indra jit's chariot along with his horses and charioteer. And thereupon
jumping from his horseless and driverless car, the son of Ravana dis-
appeared from sight, O king, by aid of his powers of illusion. And be-
holding that Rakshasa, abundantly endued with powers of illusion, dis-
appear so suddenly, Rama proceeded towards that spot and began to
protect his troops with care. Indrajit, however, with arrows, obtained
as boons from the gods, began to pierce both Rama and mighty Laksh-
mana in every part of their bodies. Then the heroic Rama and Laksh-
mana both continued to contend with their arrows against Rav ana's son
who had made himself invisible by his powers of illusion. But Indrajit
continued to shower in wrath all over those lions among men his keen-
edged shafts by hundreds and thousands. And seeking that invisible
warrior who was ceaselessly showering his arrows, the monkeys penetra-
ted into every part of the firmament, armed with huge masses of stone.
Them as well as the two brothers, however, the invisible Rakshasa
began to afflict with his shafts. Indeed, the son of Ravana, concealing
himself by his powers of illusion, furiously attacked the monkey host.
And the heroic brothers Rama and Lakshmana, pierced all over with
arrows, dropped down on the ground like the Sun and the Moon fallen
down from the firmament.' "
SECTION CCLXXXVII
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'Beholding both the brothers Rama and Laksh-
mana prostrate on the ground, the son of Ravana tied them in a net- work
of those arrows of his which he had obtained as boons. And tied by
Indrajit on the field of battle by means of that arrowy net, those heroic
tigers among men resembled a couple of hawks immured in a cage. And
beholding those heroes prostrate on the ground pierced with hundreds of
arrows, Sugriva with all the monkeys stood surrounding them on all
sides. And the king of the monkeys stood there, accompanied by Sushena
and Mainda and Dwivida, and Kumuda and Angada and Hanuman and
Nila and Tara and Nala. And Vibhishana, having achieved success in
another part of the field, soon arrived at that spot, and roused those
heroes from insensibility, awakening them by means of the weapon
called, Prajna.1. Then Sugriva soon extracted the arrows from their
bodies. And by means of that most efficacious medicine called the
Visalya^, applied with celestial mantras, those human heroes regained
their consciousness. And the arrow having been extracted from their
bodies, those mighty warriors in a moment rose from their recumbent
posture, their pains and fatigue thoroughly allev iated. And beholding
Rama the descendant of Ikshwaku's race, quite at his ease, Vibhishana,
O son of Pritha, joining his hands, told him these words, 'O chastiser of
foes, at the command of the king of theGuhyakas, aGuhyakahath come
from the White mountains, bringing with him his water3 ! O great
king, this water is a present to thee from Kuvera, so that all creatures
that are invisible may, O chastiser of foes, become visible to thee!
This water laved over the eyes will make every invisible creature visible
to thee, as also to any other person to whom thou mayst give it !' — Saying
— So be it, — Rama took that sacred water, and sanctified his own eyes
therewith. And the high-minded Lakshmana also did the same. And
Sugriva and Jambuvan, and Hanuman and Angada, and Mainda and
Dwivida, and Nila and many other foremost of the monkeys, laved their
eyes with that water. And thereupon it exactly happened as Vibhishana
1 This weapon could restore an insensible warrior to consciousness,
as the Sanrnohana weapon could deprive one of consciousness. — T.
2 Visalya — a medicinal plant of great efficacy in healing cuts and
wounds. It is still cultivated in several parts of Bengal. A medical friend
of the present writer tested the efficacy of the plant known by that name
and found it to be much superior to either gallic acid or tannic acid in
stopping blood. — T.
3 The Guhyakas occupy, in Hindu mythology, a position next only
to that of the gods, and superior to that of the Gandharvas who are the
celestial choristers. The White mountain is another name of Kailasa, the
peak where Siva hath his abode. — T.
VANA PAEVA 617
had said, for, O Yudhishthira, soon did the eyes of all these became
capable of beholding things that could not be seen by the unassisted eye !
"Meanwhile, Indrajit, after the success he had won, went to his
father. And having informed him of the feats he had achieved, he
speedily returned to the field of battle and placed himself at the van of
his army. The son of Sumitra then, under Vibhishana's guidance, rushed
towards that wrathful son of Ravana coming back, from desire of battle,
to lead the attack. And Lakshmana, excited to fury and receiving a
hint from Vibhishana, and desiring to slay Indrajit who had not com-
pleted his daily sacrifice, smote with his arrows that warrior burning to
achieve success. And desirous of vanquishing each other, the encoun-
ter that took place between them was exceedingly wonderful like that
(in days of yore) between the Lord of celestials and Prahrada. And
Indrajit pierced the son of Sumitra with arrows penetrating into his
very vitals. And the son of Sumitra also pierced Rav ana's son with
arrows of fiery energy. And pierced with Lakshmana' s arrows, the son
of Ravana became senseless with wrath. And he shot at Lakshmana
eight shafts fierce as venomous snakes. Listen now, O Yudhishthira, as
I tell thee how the heroic son of Sumitra then took his adversary's life
by means of three winged arrows possessed of the energy and effulgence
of fire ! With one of these, he severed from Indra jit's body that arm of
his enemy which had grasped the bow. With the second he caused that
other arm which had held the arrows, to drop down on the ground.
With the third that was bright and possessed of the keenest edge, he
cut off his head decked with a beautiful nose and bright with ear-rings.
And shorn of arms and head, the trunk became fearful to behold. And
having slain the foe thus, that foremost of mighty men then slew with
his arrows the charioteer of his adversary. And the horses then dragg-
ed away the empty chariot into the city. And Ravana then beheld that
car without his son on it. And hearing that his son had been slain,
Ravana suffered his heart to be overpowered with grief. And under
the influence of extreme grief and affliction, the king of the Rakshasas
suddenly cherished the desire of killing the princess of Mithila. And
seizing a sword, the wicked Rakshasa hastily ran towards that lady stay-
ing within the Asoka wood longing to beheld her lord. Then Avindhya
beholding that sinful purpose of the wicked wretch, appeased his fury.
Listen, O Yudhishthira, to the reasons urged by Avindhya ! That wise
Rakshasa said, 'Placed as thou art on the blazing throne of an empire,
it behoveth thee not to slay a woman ! Besides, this woman is already
slain, considering that she is a captive in thy power ! I think, she would
not be slain if only her body were destroyed. Slay thou her husband !
He being slain, she will be slain too ! Indeed, not even he of an hundred
sacrifices (Indra) is thy equal in prowess ! The gods with Indra at their
79
618 MAHABHAEATA
head, had repeatedly been affrighted by thee in battle f With these and
many other words of the same import, Avindhya succeeded in appeasing
Ravana. And the latter did, indeed, listen to his counsellor's speech.
And that wanderer of the night, then, resolved to give battle himself,
sheathed his sword, and issued orders for preparing his chariot.' "
SECTION CCLXXXVIII
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'The Ten-necked (Ravana), excited to fury at
the death of his beloved son, ascended his car decked with gold and gems.
And surrounded by terrible Rakshasas with various kinds of weapons
in their hands, Ravana rushed towards Rama, fighting with numerous
monkey-chief. And beholding him rushing in wrath towards the mon-
key army, Mainda and Nila and Nala and Angada, and Hanuman and
Jamvuman, surrounded him with all their troops. And those foremost
of monkeys and bears began to exterminate with trunks of trees, the
soldiers of the Ten-necked (Ravana), in his every sight. And beholding
the enemy slaughtering his troops, the Rakshasa king, Ravana, possessed
of great powers of illusion, began to put them forth. And forth from
his body began to spring hundreds and thousands of Rakshasas armed
with arrows and lances and double-edged swords in hand. Rama, how-
ever, with a celestial weapon slew all those Rakshasas. The king of
the Rakshasas then once more put forth his prowess of illusion. The
Ten-faced, producing from his body numerous warriors resembling, O
Bharata, both Rama and Lakshmana, rushed towards the two brothers.
And then those Rakshasas, hostile to Rama and Lakshmana and armed
with bows and arrows, rushed towards Rama, and beholding that power
of illusion put forth by the king of Rakshasas, that descendant of
Ikshwaku's race, the son of Sumitra, addressed Rama in these heroic
words, 'Slay those Rakshasas, those wretches with forms like thy own f
And Rama, thereupon slew those and other Rakshasas of forms resem-
bling his own. And that time Matali, the charioteer of Indra, approach-
ed Rama on the field of battle, with a car effulgent as the Sun and unto
which were yoked horses of a tawny hue. And Matali said, 'O son of
Kakutstha's race, this excellent and v ictorious car, unto which have
been yoked this pair of tawny horses, belonging to the Lord of celes-
tials ! It is on, this excellent car, O tiger among men, that Indra hath
slain in battle hundreds of Daityas and Danavas ! Therefore, O tiger
among men, do thou, riding on the car driven by me, quickly slay
Ravana in battle ! Do not delay in achieving this !' Thus addressed by
him, the descendant of Raghu's race, however, doubted the truthful
words of Matali, thinking this is another illusion produced by the Rak-
shasas ! — Vibhishana then addressed him saying, This, O tiger among
VANA PARVA 619
men, is no illusion of the wicked Ravana ! Ascend thou this chariot
quickly, for this, O thou of great effulgence, belongeth to Indra f The
descendant of Kakutstha then cheerfully said unto Vibhishana, 'So be
it/ and riding on that car, rushed wrathfully upon Ravana. And when
Ravana, too, rushed against his antagonist, a loud wail of woe was set up
by the creatures of the Earth, while the celestials in heaven sent forth
a leonine roar accompanied by beating of large drums. The encounter
then that took place between the Ten- necked Rakshasa and that prince
of Raghu's race, was fierce in the extreme. Indeed, that combat between
them hath no parallel elsewhere. And Rakshasa hurled at Rama a terri-
ble javelin looking like Indra' s thunder- bolt and resembling a Brah-
mana's curse on the point of utterance.1 Rama, however, quickly cut
into fragments that javelin by means of his sharp arrows. And be-
holding that most difficult feat, Ravana was struck with fear. But soon
his wrath was excited and the Ten-necked hero began to shower on
Rama whetted arrows by thousands and tens of thousands and countless
weapons of various kinds, such as rockets and javelins and maces and
battle-axes and darts of various kinds and Shataghnis and whetted shafts.
And beholding that terrible form of illusion displayed by the Ten-
necked Rakshasa, the monkeys fled in fear in all directions. Then the
descendant of Kakutstha, taking out of his quiver an excellent arrow fur-
nished with handsome wings and golden feathers and a bright and
beautiful head, fixed it on the bow with Brahmastra mantra. And be-
holding that excellent arrow transformed by Rama, with proper mantras
into a Brahma weapon, the celestials and the Gandharvas with Indra at
their head, began to rejoice. And the gods and the Danavas and the
Kinnaras were led by the display of that Brahma weapon to regard the
life of their Rakshasa foe almost closed. Then Rama shot that terrible
weapon of unrivalled energy, destined to compass Rav ana's death, and
resembling the curse of a Brahmana on the point of utterance. And as
soon, O Bharata, as that arrow was shot by Rama from his bow drawn
to a circle, the Rakshasa king with his chariot and charioteer and horses
blazed up, surrounded on all sides by a terrific fire. And beholding
Ravana slain by Rama of famous achievements, the celestials with the
Gandharvas and the Charanas, rejoiced exceedingly. And deprived of
universal dominion by the energy of the Brahma weapon, the five ele-
ments forsook the illustrious Ravana. And were consumed by the
Brahma weapon, the physical ingredients of Rav ana's body. His flesh
and blood were all reduced to nothingness, — so that the ashes even
could not be seen.' "
1 According to both Vyasa and Valmiki, there is nothing so fierce as
a Brahmana's curse. The very thunderbolt of Indra is weak compared to
a Brahmana's curse. The reason is obvious. The thunder smites the
individual at whom it may be aimed. fi he curse of Brahmana smiles the
whole race, whole generation, whole country.-— T.
SECTION CCLXXXIX
(Draupadi -liar 'ana Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'Having slain Ravana, that wretched king of
of the Rakshasas and foe of the celestials, Rama with his friends and
Sumitra's son rejoiced exceedingly. And after the Ten-necked (Raksliasa)
hath been slain, the celestials with the Rishis at their head, worshipped
Rama of mighty arms, blessing and uttering the word Jaya repeatedly.
And all the celestials and the Gandharvas and the denizens of the celes-
tial regions gratified Rama of eyes like lotus leaves, with hymns and
flowery showers. And having duly worshipped Rama, they all wenl
away to those regions whence they had come. And, O thou of unfading
glory, the firmament at that time looked as if a great festival was beinj
celebrated.
"And having slain the Ten-necked Rakshasa, the lord Rama of
world-wide fame, that conqueror of hostile cities, bestowed Lanka on
Vibhishana. Then that old and wise counsellor (of Ravana) known by
the name of Avindhya, with Sita walking before him but behind Vibhi-
shana who was at the front, came out of the city. And with great humi-
lity Avindhya said unto the illustrious descendant of Kakutstha, 'O
illustrious one, accept thou this goddess, Janaka's daughter of excellent
conduct !' Hearing these words, the descendant of Ikshwaku's race
alighted from his excellent chariot and beheld Sita bathed in tears.
And beholding that beautiful lady seated within her vehicle, afflicted
with grief, besmeared with filth, with matted locks on head, and attired
in dirty robes, Rama, afraid of the loss of his honour, said unto her,
'Daughter of Videha, go withersover thou likest ! Thou art now
free ! What should have been done by me, hath been done !
O blessed lady, owning me for thy husband, it is not meet that
thou shouldst grow old in the abode of the Rakshasa ! It is for this I
have slain that wanderer of the night ! But how can one like us,
acquainted with every truth of morality embrace even for a moment a
woman that had fallen into other's hands ? O princess of Mithila
whether thou art chaste or unchaste, I dare not enjoy thee, now that
thou art like sacrificial butter lapped by a dog !' Hearing these cruel
words, that adorable girl suddenly fell down in great affliction of heart,
like a plantain tree severed from its roots. And the colour that was
suffusing her face in consequence of the joy she had felt, quickly dis-
appeared, like watery particles on a mirror blown thereon by the breath
of the mouth. And hearing these words of Rama, all the monkeys also
with Lakshmana became still as dead. Then the divine and pure-souled
Brahma of four faces, that Creator of the Universe himself sprung from
a lotus, showed himself on his car to Raghu's son. And Sakra and Agni
and Vayu, and Yamaand Varuna and the illustrious Lord of the Yakshas,
VANA PABVA 621
and the holy Rishis, and king Dasaratha also in a celestial and effulgent
form and on car drawn by swans, showed themselves. And then the
firmament, crowded with celestials and Gandharvas became as beautiful
as the autumnal welkin spangled with stars. And rising up from the
ground, the blessed and famous princess of Videha, in the midst of those
present spoke unto Rama of wide chest, these words, 'O prince, I
impute no fault to thee, for thou art well acquainted with the behaviour
that one should adopt towards both men and women. But hear thou
these words of mine ! The ever-moving Air is always present within
every creature. If I have sinned, let him forsake my vital forces ! If
I have sinned, Oh, then let Fire, and Water, and Space, and Earth, like
Air (whom I have already invoked), also forsake my vital forces ! And
as, O hero, I have never, even in my dreams, cherished the image of
any other person, so be thou my lord as appointed by the gods.' After
Sita had spoken, a sacred voice, resounding through the whole of that
region, was heard in the skies, gladdening the hearts of the high-souled
monkeys. And the Wind-god was heard to say, 'O son of Raghu, what
Sita hath said is true ! I am the god of Wind. The princess of Mithila
is sinless ! Therefore, O king, be united with thy wife f And the god
of Fire said, 'O son of Raghu, I dwell within the bodies of all creatures !
O descendant of Kukutstha, the princess of Mithila is not guilty of even
the minutest fault !' And Varuna then said, 'O son of Raghu, the
humours in every creatures body derive their existence from me ! I
tell thee, let the princess of Mithila be accepted by thee f And Brahma
himself then said, 'O descendant of Kakutstha, O son, in thee that art
honest and pure and conversant with the duties of royal sages, this con-
duct is not strange. Listen, however, to these words of mine ! Thou
hast, O hero, slain this enemy of the gods, the Gandharvas, the Nagas,
the Yakshas, the Danavas, and the great Bishis ! It was through my
grace that he had hitherto been unslayable of all creatures. And, indeed,
it was for some reason that I had tolerated him for some time ! The
wretch, however, abducted Sita for his own destruction. And as regards
Sita, I protected her through Nalakuv era's curse. For that person had
cursed Ravana of old, saying, that if he ever approached an unwilling
woman, his head should certainly be split into a hundred fragments. Let
no suspicion, therefore, be thine ! O thou of great glory, accept thy
wife ! Thou hast indeed, achieved a mighty feat for the benefit of the
gods, O thou that art of divine effulgence !' And last of all Dasaratha
said, 1 have been gratified with thee, O child ! Blessed be thou, I am
thy father Dasaratha ! I command thee to take back thy wife, and rule
thy kingdom, O thou foremost of men !' Rama then replied, 'If thou
art my father, I salute thee with reverence, O king of kings ! I shall
indeed, return, at thy command, to the delightful city of Ayodhya f
622 MAHABHAEATA
"Markandeya continued, 'Thus addressed, his father, O bull of the
Bharata race, gladly answered Rama, the corners of whose eyes were of
a reddish hue, saying, 'Return to Ayodhya and rule thou that kingdom !
O thou of great glory, thy fourteen years (of exile) have been com-
pleted.' Thus addressed by Dasaratha, Rama bowed to the gods, and
saluted by his friends, he was united with his wife, like the Lord of the
celestials with the daughter of Puloman. And that chastiser of foes
then gave a boon to Avindhya. And he also bestowed both riches and
honours on the Rakshasa woman named Trijata, And when Brahma
with all the celestials having Indra at their head, said unto Rama, 'O
thou that ownest Kausalya for thy mother, what boons after thy heart
shall we grant thee ?' Rama, thereupon, prayed them to grant him firm
adherence to virtues and invincibility in respect of all foes. And he
also asked for the restoration to life of all those monkeys that had been
slain by the Rakshasas, and after Brahma had said — So be it, those
monkeys, O king, restored to life, rose up from the field of battle, and
Sita too, of great good fortune, granted unto Hanuman a boon, saying,
'Let thy life, O son, last as long as (the fame of) Rama's achievements !
And, O Hanuman of yellow eyes, let celestial viands and drinks be
ever available to thee through my grace !'
"Then the celestials with Indra at their head all disappeared in the
very sight of those warriors of spotless achievements. And beholding
Rama united with the Daughter of Janaka, the charioteer of Sakra,
highly pleased, addressed him in the midst of friends, and said these
words, 'O thou of prowess that can never be baffled, thou hast dispelled
the sorrow of the celestials, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the A suras, the
Nag as, and human beings ! As long, therefore, as the Earth will hold
together, so long will all creatures with the celestials, the Asuras, the
Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Rakshasas, and the Pannagas, speak of thee/
And having said these words unto Rama, Matali worshipped that son of
Raghu, and having obtained the leave of that foremost of wielders of
weapons, he went away on that same chariot of solar effulgence. And
Rama also, with Sumitra's son and Vibhishana, and accompanied by all
the monkeys with Sugriva at their head, placing Sita in the van and
having made arrangements for the protection of Lanka, recrossed the
ocean by the same bridge. And he rode on that beautiful and sky-
ranging chariot called the PushpaUa that was capable of going every-
where at the will of the rider. And that subduer of passions was sur-
rounded by his principal counsellors in order of precedence. And arriv-
ing at that part of the sea-shore where he had formerly laid himself
down, the virtuous king, with all the monkeys, pitched his temporary
abode. And the son of Raghu then, bringing the monkeys before him
in due time, worshipped them all, and gratifying them with presents of
jewels and gems, dismissed them one after another. And after all
the monkey-chiefs, and the apes with bovine tails, and the bears,
had gone away, Rama re-entered Kishkindhya with Sugriva. And
accompanied by both Vibhishana and Sugriva, Rama re-entered
Kishkindhya riding on the Puslipaka car and showing the princess of
Videha the woods along the way. And having arrived at Kishkindhya,
Rama, that foremost of all smiters, installed the successful Angada
as prince-regent of the kingdom. And accompanied by the same
friends as also by Sumitra's son, Rama proceeded towards his city
along the same path by which he had come. And having reached the
city of Ayodhya, the king despatched Hanuman thence as envoy to
VANA PAEVA 623
Bharata. And Hanuman, having ascertained Bharata' s intentions
from external indications, gave him the good news (of Rama's arrival).
And after the son of Pavana had come back, Rama entered Nandigrama.
And having entered that town, Rama beheld Bharata besmeared with
filth and attired in rags and seated with his elder brother's sandals
placed before him. And being united, O bull of Bharata race, with both
Bharata and Shatrughna, the mighty son of Raghu, along with Sumitra's
son, began to rejoice exceedingly. And Bharata and Shatrughna also,
united with their eldest brother, and beholding Sita, both derived great
pleasure. And Bharata then, after having worshipped his returned
brother, made ov er to him with great pleasure, the kingdom that had
been in his hands as a sacred trust. And Vasishtha and Vamadeva then
together installed that hero in the sovereignty (of Ayodhya) at the
eighth Muliurta l of the day under the asterism called Sravana. And
after his installation was over, Rama gave leave to well-pleased Sugriv a
the king of the monkeys, along with all his followers, as also to rejoicing
Vibhishana of Pulastya's race, to return to their respective abodes.
And having worshipped them with various articles of enjoyment, and
done everything that was suitable to the occasion, Rama dismissed those
friends of his with a sorrowful heart. And the son of Raghu then,
having worshipped that Pushpaka chariot, joyfully gave it back unto
Vaisravana. And then assisted by the celestial Eishi (Vasishtha), Rama
performed on the banks of the Gomati ten Horse-sacrifices without obs-
truction of any kind and with treble presents unto Brahmanas.' "
SECTION CCLXL
(Draupadi-harana Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, It was thus, O mighty-armed one, that Rama
of immeasurable energy had suffered of old such excessive calamity in
consequence of his exile in the woods ! O tiger among men, do not
grieve, for, O chastiser of foes, thou art Kshatriya I Thou too treadest
in the path in which strength of arms is to be put forth, — the path that
leadeth to tangible rewards. Thou hast not even a particle of sin. Even
the celestials with Indra at their head, and the Asuras have to tread in
the path that is trod by thee ! It was after such afflictions that the
wielder of the thunder-bolt, aided by the Maruts, slew Vritra, and the
invincible Namuchi and the Bakshasi of long tongue! He that hath
assistance, always secureth the accomplishment of all his purposes !
What is that which cannot be vanquished in battle by him that hath
Dhananjaya for his brother ? This Bhima also, of terrible prowess, is
the foremost of mighty persons. The heroic and youthful sons of Mad-
ravati again are mighty bowmen. With allies such as these, why dost
thou despair, O chastiser of foes? These are capable of vanquishing
the army of the wielder himself of the thunder- bolt with the Maruts in
the midst. Having these mighty bowmen of celestial forms for thy
allies, thou, O bull of Bharata race, art sure to conquer in battle all thy
foes ! Behold, this Krishna, the daughter of Drupada, forcibly abducted
by the wicked-minded Saindhava from pride of strength and energy,
hath been brought back by these mighty warriors after achieving terri-
ble feats ! Behold, king Jayadratha was vanquished and lay powerless
before thee ! The princess of Videha was rescued with almost no allies
1 Abhigit is lit, the eighth muhurta of the day, a rnuhurta being equal
to an hour of 48 minutes, i.e. the thirtieth part of a whole day and night.
The Vaishnava asterism is; as explained by Nilakantha,' the Sravana. — T.
624 MAHABHABATA
by Rama after the slaughter in battle of the Ten-necked Bakshasa of
terrible prowess ! Indeed, the allies of Rama (in that contest) were
monkeys and black-faced bears, creatures that were not even human !
Think of all this, O king in thy mind ! Therefore, O foremost of Kurus,
grieve not for all (that hath occurred), O bull of the Bharata race!
Illustrious persons like thee never indulge in sorrow, O smiter of foes !'
Vaisanmpayana continued, "It was thus that the king was com-
forted by Markandeya. And then that high-souled one, casting off his
sorrows, once more spoke unto Markandeya."
SECTION CCLXLI
(Pativrata-mahatmya Parva)
"Yudhishthira said, 'O mighty sage, I do not so much grieve for
myself or these my brothers or the loss of my kingdom as I do for this
daughter of Drupada. When we were afflicted at the game of the dice
by those wicked-souled ones, it was Krishna that delivered us. And she
was forcibly carried off from the forest by Jayadratha. Hast thou even
seen or heard of any chaste and exalted lady that resembleth this
daughter of Drupada ?' '
"Markandeya said, 'Listen, O king, how the exalted merit of
chaste ladies, O Yudhishthira, was completely obtained by a princess
named Savitri. There was a king among the Madras, who was virtuous
and highly pious. And he always ministered unto the Brahmanas, and
was high-souled and firm in promise. And he was of subdued senses
and giv en to sacrifices. And he was the foremost of givers, and was
able, and beloved by both the citizens and the rural population. And
the name of that lord of Earth was Aswapati. And he was intent on
the welfare of all beings. And that forgiving (monarch) of truthful
speech and subdued senses was without issue. And when he got old, he
was striken with grief at this. And with the object of raising offspring,
he observed rigid vows and began to live upon frugal fare, having re-
course to the Brahmacharya mode of life, and restraining his senses.
And that best of kings, (daily) offering ten thousand oblations to the
fire, recited Mantras in honour of Savitri1 and ate temperately at the
sixth hour. And he passed eighteen years, practising such vows. Then
when the eighteen years were full, Savitri was pleased (with him). And
O king, issuing with great delight, in embodied form, from the Agni-
hotra fire, the goddess showed herself to that king. And intent on con-
ferring boons, she spoke these words unto the monarch, 1 have been
gratified, O king, with thy Brahmacharya practices, thy purity and self-
restraint and observance of vows, and all thy endeavours and venera-
tion ! Do thou, O mighty king, O Aswapati, ask for the boon that thou
desirest ! Thou ought, however, by no means show any disregard for
virtue.' Thereat Aswapati said, It is with the desire of attaining virtue
that I have been engaged in this task. O goddess, may many sons be
born unto me worthy of my race ! If thou art pleased with me, O god-
dess, I ask for this boon. The twice-born ones have assured me that
great merit lieth in having offspring !' Savitri replied, 4O king, having
already learnt this thy intention, I had spoken unto that lord, the Grand-
sire, about thy sons. Through the favour granted by the Self -create,
there shall speedily be born unto thee on earth a daughter of great
energy. It behoveth thee not to make any reply. Well-pleased, I tell
thee this at the command of the Grand-sire.'
1 Also called Gayatri, the wife of Brahma.— T.
VANA PAEVA 625
"Markandeya said, 'Having accepted Savitri s words and saying, 'So
be it !' the king again gratified her and said, 'May this happen soon !' On
Savitri vanishing away, the monarch entered his own city. And that hero
began to live in his kingdom, ruling his subjects righteously. And when
some time had elapsed, that king, observant of vows, begat offspring on his
eldest queen engaged in the practice of virtue. And then, 0 bull of the
Bharata race, the embryo in the womb of the princess of Malava increased
like the lord of stars in the heavens during the lighted fortnight. And when
the time came, she brought forth a daughter furnished with lotus-like eyes.
And that best of monarchs, joyfully performed the usual ceremonies on her
behalf. And as she had been bestowed with delight by the goddess Savitri
by virtue of the oblations offered in honour of that goddess, both her father,
and the Brahmanas named her Savitri. And the king's daughter grew like
unto Sree herself in an embodied form. And in due time, that damsel
attained her puberty. And beholding that graceful maiden of slender waist
and ample hips, and resembling a golden image, people thought, 'We have
received a goddess.' And overpowered by her energy, none could wed that
girl of eyes like lotus-leaves, and possessed of a burning splendour.'
And it came to pass that once on the occasion of a parva, having
fasted and bathed her head, she presented herself before the (family) deity
and caused the Brahmanas to offer oblations with due rites to the sacrificial
fire. And taking the flowers that had been offered to the god, that lady,
beautiful as Sree herself, went to her high-souled sire. And having rever-
enced the feet of her father and offering him the flowers she had brought,
that maiden of exceeding grace, with joined hands, stood at the side of the
king. And seeing his own daughter resembling a celestial damsel arrived
at puberty, and unsought by people, the king became sad. And the king
said, 'Daughter, the time for bestowing thee is come 1 Yet none asketh
thee. Do thou (therefore) thyself seek for a husband equal to thee in quali-
ties ! That person who may ha desired by thee should be notified to me.
Do thou choose for thy husband as thou listest. I shall bestow thee with
deliberation. Do thou, 0 auspicious one, listen to me as I tell thee the
words which I heard recited by the twice-born ones. The father that doth
not bestow his daughter cometh by disgrace. And the husband that knoweth
not his wife in her season meeteth with disgrace. And the son that doth not
protect his mother when her husband is dead, also suffereth disgrace.
Hearing these words of mine, do thou engage thyself in search of a husband.
Do thou act in such a way that we may not be censured by the gods !'
"Markandeya said, 'Having said these words to his daughter and his
old counsellors, he instructed the attendants to follow her, saying, Go !
Thereat, bashfully bowing down unto her father's feet, the meek maid went
out without hesitation, in compliance with the words of her sire. And
ascending a golden car, she went to the delightful asylum of the royal sages,
83
626 MAHABHARATA
accompanied by her father's aged counsellors. There, 0 son, worshipping
the feet of the aged ones, she gradually began to roam over all the woods.
Thus the king's daughter distributing wealth in all sacred regions, ranged
the various places belonging to the foremost of the twice-born ones.' "
SECTION CCLXLII
(Pativrata-mahatmya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'On one occasion, 0 Bharata, when that
king, the lord of the Madras, was seated with Narada in the midst of his
court, engaged in conversation, Savitri, accompanied by the king's coun-
sellors, came to her father's abode after having visited various sacred regions
and asylums. And beholding her father seated with Narada, she worshipped
the feet of both by bending down her head. And Narada then said,
'Whither had this thy daughter gone ? And, 0 king, whence also doth she
come ? Why also dost thou not bestow her on a husband, now that she
hath arrived at the age of puberty ?' Aswapafci answered, saying, 'Surely
it was on this very business that she had been sent, and she returneth now
(from her search). Do thou, O celestial sage, listen, even from her as to
the husband she hath chosen herself !'
"Markandeya continued, 'Then the blessed maid, commanded by her
father with the words, — Eelate everything in detail. — regarded those words
of her sire as if they were those of a god, and spoke unto him thus, 'There
was, amongst the Salwas, a virtuous Kshatriya king known by the name
of Dyumatsena. And it came to pass that in course of time he became
blind. And that blind king possessed of wisdom had an only son. And it
so happened that an old enemy dwelling in the vicinity, taking advantage
of the king's mishap, deprived him of his kingdom. And thereupon the
monarch, accompanied by his wife bearing a child on her breast, went into
the woods. And having retired into the forests, he adopted great vows and
began to practise ascetic austerities. And his son, born in the city, began
to grow in the hermitage. That youth, fit to be my husband, I have
accepted in my heart for my lord !' At these words of hers, Narada said,
'Alas, 0 king, Savitri hath committed a great wrong, since, not knowing,
she hath accepted for her lord this Satyavan of excellent qualities ! His
father speaketh the truth and his mother also is truthful in her speech.
And it is for this that the Brahmanas have named the son Satyavan. In his
childhood he took great delight in horses, and used to make horses of clay.
And he used also to draw pictures of horses. And for this that youth is some-
times called by the name of Chitraswa.' The king then asked, 'And is
prince Satyavan, who is devoted to his father, endued with energy and intelli-
gence and forgiveness and courage ?' Narada replied, saying, In energy
Satyavan is like unto the sun, and in wisdom like unto Vrihaspati ! And he
is brave like tfnto the lord of the celestials and forgiving like unto the Earth
VANA PAEVA 627
herself!' Aswapati then said, 'And is the prince Satyavan liberal in gifts and
devoted to the Brahmanas ? Is he handsome and magnanimous and lovely
to behold ?' Narada said, 4In bestowal of gifts according to his power, the
mighty son of Dyumatsena is like unto Sankriti's son Eantideva. In truth-
fulness of speech and devotion unto Brahmanas, he is like Sivi, the son
of Usinara. And he is magnanimous like Yayati, and beautiful like the
Moon. And in beauty of person he is like either of the twin Aswins. And
with senses under control, he is meek, and brave, and truthful ! And with
passion in subjection he is devoted to his friends, and free from malice and
modest and patient. Indeed, briefly speaking, they that are possessed of
great ascetic merit and are of exalted character say that he is always correct
in his conduct and that honour is firmly seated on his brow.' Hearing this,
Aswapati said, '0 reverend sage, thou tellest me that he is possessed of
every virtue ! Do thou now tell me his defects if, indeed, he hath any !'
Narada then said, 'fie hath one only defect that hath overwhelmed all his
virtues. That defect is incapable of being conquered by even the greatest
efforts. He hath only one detect, and no other. Within a year from this
day, Satyavan, endued with a short life will cast off his body !' Hearing
these words of the sage, the king said, 'Come, O Savitri, go thou and choose
another for thy lord, O baautiful damsel ! That one great defect (in this
youth) existeth, covering all his merits. The illustrious Narada honoured
by even the gods, sayeth, that Satyavan will have to cast off his body
within a year, his days being numbered !' At these words of her father,
Savitri said, 'The death can fall but once ; a daughter can be given away
but once ; and once only can a person say, I give aivay ! These three things
can take place only once. Indeed, with a life short or long, possessed of
virtues or bereft of them, I have, for once, selected my husband. Twice I
shall not select. Having first settled a thing mentally, it is expressed in
words, and then it is carried out into practice. Of this my mind is an
example !' Narada then said, '0 best of men, the heart of thy daughter
Savitri wavereth not ! It is not possible by any means to make her swerve
from this path of virtue ! In no other person are those virtues that dwell
in Satyavan. The bestowal of thy daughter, therefore, is approved by me !'
The king said, 'What thou hast said, O illustrious one, should never be
disobeyed, for thy words are true ! And I shall act as thou hast said, since
thou art my preceptor !' Narada said, 'May the bestowal of thy daughter
Savitri be attended with peace ! I shall now depart. Blessed be all of ye !'
"Markandeya continued, 'Having said this, Narada rose up into the
sky and went to heaven. On the other hand, the king began to make
preparations for his daughter's wedding !' "
SECTION CGLXLIII
(Pativrata-mahatmya Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'Having pondered over these words (of Narada)
about his daughter's marriage, the king began to make arrangements about
the nuptials. And summoning all the old Brahmanas, and Ritwijas to-
gether with the priests, he set out with his daughter on an auspicious day.
And arriving at the asylum of Dyumatsena in the sacred forest, the king
approached the royal sage on foot, accompanied by the twice-born ones.
And there he beheld the blind monarch of great wisdom seated on a cushion
of Kusa grass spread under Sala tree. And after duly reverencing the royal
sage, the king in an humble speech introduced himself. Thereupon, offer-
ing him the Argliya, a seat, and a cow, the monarch asked his royal guest,
— Wherefore is this visit ? — Thus addressed the king disclosed everything
about his intentions and purpose with reference to Satyavan. And Aswapati
said, 'O royal sage, this beautiful girl is my daughter named Savitri. 0
thou versed in morality, do thou, agreeably to the customs of our order,
take her from me as thy daughter-in-law !' Hearing these words, Dyumat-
sena said, 'Deprived of kingdom, and taking up our abode in the woods, we
are engaged in the practice of virtue as ascetics with regulated lives.
Unworthy of a forest life, how will thy daughter, living in the sylvan
asylum, bear this hardship?' Aswapati said, 'When my daughter knoweth,
as well as myself, that happiness and misery come and go (without either
being stationary), such words as these are not fit to be used towards one
like me 1 0 king, I have come hither, having made up my mind ! I have
bowed to thee from friendship ; it behoveth thee not, therefore, to destroy
my hope ! It behoveth thee not, also, to disregard me who, moved by love,
have come to thee ! Thou art my equal and fit for an alliance with me, as
indeed, I am thy equal and fit for alliance with thee ! Do thou, therefore,
accept my daughter for fchy daughter-in-law and the wife of the good
Satyavan !' Hearing these words Dyumatsena said, 'Formerly I had desired
an alliance with thee. But I hesitated, being subsequently deprived of my
kingdom. Lat this wish, therefore, that I had formerly entertained, be
accomplished this very day. Thou art, indeed, a welcome guest to me !'
"Then summoning all the twice- born ones residing in the hermitages
of that forest, the two kings caused the union to take place with due rites.
And having bestowed his daughter with suitable robes and ornaments,
Aswapati went back to his abode in great joy. And Satyavan, having
obtained a wife possessed of every accomplishment, became highly glad,
while she also rejoiced exceedingly upon having gained the husband after
her own heart. And when her father had departed, she put off all her
ornaments, and clad herself in barks and cloths dyed in red. And by her
services and virtues, her tenderness and self-denial, and by her agreeable
offices unto all, she pleased everybody. And she gratified her mother-in-law
by attending to her person and by covering her with robes and ornaments.
And she gratified her father-in-law by worshipping him as a god and con-
trolling her speech. And she pleased her husband by her honied speeches,
her skill in every kind of work, the evenness of her temper, and by the
indications of her love in private. And thus, 0 Bharata, living in the
asylum of those pious dwellers of the forest, they continued for some time
to practise ascetic austerities. But the words spoken by Narada were
present night and day in the mind of the sorrowful Savitri,' "
SECTION CCLXLTV
('Pativrato-rnahatmya Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'At length, 0 king, after a long time had passed
away, the hour that had been appointed for the death of Satyavan arrived.
And as the words that had been spoken by Narada were ever present in the
mind of Savitri, she had counted the days as they passed. And having
ascertained that her husband would die on the fourth day following, the
damsel fasted day and night, observing the Triratra vow. And hearing of
her vow, the king became exceedingly sorrow and rising up soothed Savitri
and said these words, 'This vow that thou hast begun to observe, 0
daughter of a king, is exceedingly hard ; for it is extremely difficult to fast
for three nights together !' And hearing those words, Savitri said, 'Thou
needst not be sorry, O father ! This vow I shall be able to observe ! I
have for certain undertaken this task with perseverance ; and perseverance
is the cause of the successful observance of vows.1 And having listened to
her, Dyumatsena said, 'I can by no means say unto thee, Do thou break
thy vow. One like me should, on the contrary, say, — Do thou complete thy
vow /' And having said this to her, the high-minded Dyumatsena stopped.
And Savitri continuing to fast began to look (lean) like a wooden doll.
And, O bull of the Bharata race, thinking that her husband would die on
the morrow, the woe-stricken Savitri, observing a fast, spent that night
in extreme anguish. And when the sun had risen about a couple of hand
Savitri thinking within herself — To-day is that day, finished her morning
rites, and offered oblations to the flaming fire. And bowing down unto the
aged Brahmanas, and her father-in-law, and mother-in-law, she stood
before them with joined hands, concentrating her senses And for the
welfare of Savitri, all the ascetics dwelling in that hermitage, uttered the
auspicious benediction that she should never suffer widowhood. And Savitri
immersed in contemplation accepted those words of the ascetics, mentally
saying, — So be it ! — And the king's daughter, reflecting on those words of
Narada, remained, expecting the hour and the moment.
Then, O best of the Bharatas, well pleased, her father-in-law and
mother-in-law said these words unto the princess seated in a corner, 'Thou
hast completed the vow as prescribed. The time for thy meal hath now
arrived ; therefore, do thou what is proper !' Thereat Savitri said, 'Now
that I have completed the purposed vow, I will eat when the Sun goes
down. Even this is my heart's resolve and this my vow !'
"Markandeya continued, 'And when Savitri had spoken thus about
her meal, Satyavan, taking his axe upon his shoulders, set out for the
woods. And at this, Savitri said unto her husband, 'It behoveth thee not
to go alone ! I will accompany thee. I cannot bear to be separated from
thee !' Hearing these words of hers, Satyavan said, 'Thou hast never
630 MAHABHAEATA
before repaired to the forest. And, O lady, the forest-paths are hard to
pass ! Besides thou hast been reduced by fast on account of thy vow.
How wouldst thou, therefore, be able to walk on foot ?' Thus addressed,
Savitri said, *I do not feel langour because of the fast, nor do I feel
exhaustion. And I have made up my mind to go. It behoveth thee not,
therefore, to prevent me !' At this, Satyavan said, 'If thou desirest to
go, I will gratify that desire of thine. Do thou, however, take the per-
mission of my parents, so that I may be guilty of no fault !'
"Markandeya continued, 'Thus addressed by her lord, Savifcri of high
vows saluted her father-in-law and mother-in-law and addressed them,
saying, 'This my husband goeth to the forest for procuring fruits. Per-
mitted by my revered lady-mother and father-in-law, I will accompany
him. For to-day I cannot bear to be separated from him. Thy son goeth
out for the sake of the sacrificial fire and for his reverend superiors. He
ought not, therefore, to be dissuaded. Indeed, he could be dissuaded if
he went into the forest on any other errand. Do ye not prevent me ! I will
go into the forest with him. It is a little less than a year that I have not
gone out of the asylum. Indeed, I am extremely desirous of beholding the
blossoming woods !' Hearing these words Dyumatsena said, 'Since Savitri
hath been bestowed by her father as my daughter-in-law, I do not remem-
ber that she hath ever spoken any words couching a request. Let my
daughter-in-law, therefore, have her will in this matter. Do thou, however,
O daughter, act in such a way that Satyavan's work may not be neglected !'
"Markandeya continued, 'Having received the permission of both, the
illustrious Savitri, departed with her lord, in seeming smiles although her
heart was racked with grief. And that lady of large eyes went on, behold-
ing picturesque and delightful woods inhabited by swarms of peacocks.
And Satyavan sweetly said unto Savitri, 'Behold these rivers of sacred
currents and these excellent trees decked with flowers !' But the faultless
Savitri continued to watch her lord in all his moods, and recollecting the
words of the celestial sage, she considered her husband as already dead.
And with heart cleft in twain, that damsel, replying to her lord, softly
followed him expecting that hour.' "
SECTION CCLXLV
(Pativrata-mahatmya Parva continued)
Markandeya said, The powerful Satyavan then, accompanied by
his wife, plucked fruits and filled his wallet with them. And he then began
to fell branches of trees. And as he was hewing them, he began to perspire.
And in consequence of that exercise his head began to ache. And afflicted
with toil, he approached his beloved wife, and addressed her, saying, 'O
Savitri, owing to this hard exercise my head acheth, and all my limbs and
my heart also are afflicted sorely ! O thou of restrained speech, I think
VANA PABVA 631
myself unwell, I feel as if my head is being pierced with numerous darts.
Therefore, 0 auspicious lady, I wish to sleep, for I have not the power to
stand.' Hearing these words, Savitri quickly advancing, approached her
husband, and sat down upon the ground, placing his head upon her lap. And
that helpless lady, thinking of Narada's words, began to calculate the
(appointed) division of the day, the hour, and the moment. The next
moment she saw a person clad in red attire with his head decked with a
diadem. And his body was of large proportions and effulgent as the sun. And
he was of a darkish hue, had red eyes, carried a noose in his hand, and was
dreadful to behold. And he was standing beside Satyavan and was stead-
fastly gazing at him. And seeing him, Savitri gently placed her husband's
head on the ground, and rising suddenly, with a trembling heart, spake
these words in distressful accents, 'Seeing this thy superhuman form, I
take thee to be a deity. If thou will, tell me, 0 chief of the gods, who
thou art and what also thou intendst to do !' Thereat, Yama replied, '0
Savitri, thou art ever devoted to thy husband, and thou art also endued
with ascetic merit. It is for this reason that I hold converse with thee.
Do thou, 0 auspicious one, know me for Yama. This thy lord Satyavan,
the son of a king, hath his days run out. I shall, therefore, take him away
binding him in this noose. Know this to be my errand f At these words
Savitri said, 'I had heard that thy emissaries come to take away mortals,
0 worshipful one ! Why then, 0 lord, hast thou come in person ?'
"Markandeya continued, 'Thus addressed by her, the illustrious lord
of Pitris, with a view to oblige her, began to unfold to her truly all about
his intentions. And Yama said, 'This prince is endued with virtues and
beauty of person, and is a sea of accomplishments. He deserveth not to
be borne away by my emissaries. Therefore is it that I have come
personally.' Saying this, Yama by main force pulled out of the body of
Satyavan, a person of the measure of the thumb, bound in noose and
completely under subjection. And when Satyavan's life had thus been taken
out, the body, deprived of breath, and shorn of lustre, and destitute of
motion, became unsightly to behold. And binding Satyavan's vital essence,
Yama proceeded in a southerly direction. Thereupon, with heart over-
whelmed in grief, the exalted Savitri, ever devoted to her lord and crowned
with success in respect of her vows, began to follow Yama. And at this,
Yama said, 'Desist, 0 Savitri ! Go back, and perform the funeral obsequies
of thy lord ! Thou art freed from all thy obligations to thy lord. Thou
hast come as far as it is possible to come.' Savitri replied, 'Whither my
husband is being carried, or whither he goeth of his own accord, I will
follow him thither. This is the eternal custom, By virtue of my asceticism,
of my regard for my superiors, of my affection for my lord, of my obser-
vance of vows, as well as of thy favour, my course is unimpeded. It hath
been declared by wise men endued with true knowledge that by walking
632 MAHABHAEATA
only seven paces with another, one contracteth a friendship with one's
companion. Keeping that friendship (which I have contracted with thee)
in view, I shall speak to theo something. Do thou listen to it. They that
have not their souls under control, acquire not merit by leading the four
successive modes of life, viz., — celebacy with study, domesticity, retirement
into the woods, and renunciation of the world. That which is called
religious merit is said to consist of true knowledge. The wise, therefore,
have declared religious merit to be the foremost of all things, and not the
passage through the four successive modes. By practising the duties of
even one of these four modes agreeable to the directions of the wise, we
have attained to true merit, and, therefore, we do not desire the second or
the third mode, viz., celebacy with study or renunciation. It is for this
again that the wise have declared religious merit to be the foremost of all
things !' Hearing these words of hers, Yam a said, 'Do thou desist ! I
have been pleased with these words of thine couched in proper letters and
accents, and based on reason. Do thou ask for a boon ! Except the life of
thy husband, 0 thou of faultless features, I will bestow on thee any boon
that thou mayst solicit !' Hearing these words, Savitri said, 'Deprived of
his kingdom and bereft also of sight, my father-in-law leadeth a life of
retirement in our sylvan asylum. Let that king through thy favour attain
his eye-sight, and become strong like either fire or the Sun !' Yama said,
40 thou of faultless features, I grant thee this boon ! It will even be as
thou hast said ! It seems that thou art fatigued with thy journey. Do
thou desist, therefore, and return ! Suffer not thyself to be weary any
longer !' Savitri said, 'What weariness can I feel in the presence of my
husband ? The lot that is my husband's is certainly mine also. Whither
thou carriest my husband, thither will I also repair ! O chief of the celes-
tials, do thou again listen to me ! Even a single interview with the
pious is highly desirable ; friendship with them is still more so. And
intercourse with the virtuous can never be fruitless. Therefore, one should
live in the company of the righteous !' Yama said, 'These words that thou
hast spoken, so fraught with useful instruction, delight the heart and
enhance the wisdom of even the learned. Therefore, 0 lady, solicit thou a
second boon, except the life of Satyavan !' Savitri said, 'Sometime before,
my wise and intelligent father-in-law was deprived of his kingdom. May
that monarch regain bis kingdom. And may that superior of mine never
renounce his duties ! Even this is the second boon that I solicit !' Then
Yama said, — 'The king shall soon regain his kingdom. Nor shall he ever
fall off from his duties. Thus, 0 daughter of a king have I fulfilled thy
desire. Do thou now desist ! Bet-urn ! Do not take any future trouble !'
Savitri said, 'Thou hast restrained all creatures by thy decrees, and it is
by thy decrees that thou takest them away, not according to thy will.
Therefore it is, 0 god, O divine one, that people call thee Yama I Do thou
VANA PABVA 633
listen to the words that I say ! The eternal duty of the good towards all
creatures is never to injure them in thought, word, and deed, but to bear
them love and give them their due. As regards this world, everything here
is like this (husband of mine). Men are destitute of both devotion and skill.
The good, however, show mercy to even their foes when these seek their
protection. Yama said, 'As water to the thirsty soul, so are these words
uttered by thee to me ! Therefore, do thou, O fair lady, if thou will, once
again ask for any boon except Satyavana's life !' At these words Savitri
replied, 'That lord of earth, my father, is without sons. That he may
have a hundred sons begotten of his loins, so that his line may be perpe-
tuated, is the third boon I would ask of thee !' Yama said, 'Thy sire, 0
auspicious lady, shall obtain a hundred illustrious sons, who will perpe-
tuate and increase their father's race ! Now, O daughter of a king, thou
hast obtained thy wish. Do thou desist ! Thou hast come far enough.'
Savitri said, 'Staying by the side of my husband, I am not conscious of
the length of the way I have walked. Indeed, my mind rusheth to yet a
longer way of. Do thou again, as thou goest on, listen to the words that
I will presently utter ! Thou art the powerful son of Vivaswat. It is for
this that thou art called Vaivasivata by the wise. And, O lord, since thou
dealest out equal law unto all created things, thou hast been designated the
lord of justice \ One reposeth not, even in one's own self, the confidence
that one doth in the righteous. Therefore, every one wisheth particularly
for intimacy with the righteous. It is goodness of heart alone that inspireth
the confidence of all creatures. And it is for this that people rely parti-
cularly on the righteous.' And hearing these words, Yama said, 'The words
that thou utterest, 0 fair lady, I have not heard from any one save thee ;
I am highly pleased with this speech of thine. Except the life of Satyavan,
solicit thou, therefore, a fourbh boon, and then go thy way !' Savitri then
said, 'Both of me and Satyavan's loins, begotten by both of us, let there be
a century of sons possessed of strength and prowess and capable of perpe-
tuating our race ! Even this is the fourth boon that I would beg of thee I'
Hearing these words of hers, Yama replied, 'Thou shalt, O lady, obtain
a century of sons, possessed of strength and prowess, and causing thee great
delight, O daughter of a king, let no more weariness be thine \ Do thou
desist ! Thou hast already come too far !' Thus addressed, Savitri said,
'They that are righteous always practise eternal morality ! And the
communion of the pious with the pious is never fruitless ! Nor is there
any danger to the pious from those that are pious. And verily it is the
righteous who by their truth make the sun move in the heaven. And it is
the righteous that support the earth by their austerities ! And, O king, it
is the righteous upon whom both the past and the future depend ! There-
fore, they that are righteous, are never cheerless in the company of the
righteous. Knowing this to be the eternal practice of the good and right-
eous, they that are righteous continue to do good to others without
81
634 MAHABHAKATA
expecting any benefit in return. A good office is never thrown away on the
good and virtuous. Neither interest nor dignity suffereth any injury by
such an act. And since such conduct ever adheres to the righteous, the
righteous often become the protectors of all.' Hearing these words of hers,
Yama replied, 'The more thou utterest such speeches that are pregnant
with great import, full of honied phrases, instinct with morality, and
agreeable to mind, the more is the respect that I feel for thee ! O thou
that art so devoted to thy lord, ask for some incomparable boon !' Thus
addressed, Savitri said, 'O bostower of honours, the boon thou hast already
given me is incapable of accomplishment without union with my husband.
Therefore, among other boons, I ask for this, may this Satyavan be restored
to life ! Deprived of my husband, I am as one dead ! Without my husband,
I do not wish for happiness. Without my husband, I do not wish for
heaven itself. Without my husband, I do not wish for prosperity. With-
out my husband, I cannot make up my mind to live ! Thou thyself hast
bestowed on me the boon, namely, of a century of sons ; yet thou takest
away my husband ! I ask for this boon, 'May Satyavan be restored to
life, for by that thy words will be made true.' "
"Markandeya continued, 'Thereupon saying, — So be it, — Vivaswat's
son, Yama, the dispenser of justice, untied his noose, and with cheerful
heart said these words to Savitri, 'Thus, O auspicious and chaste lady, is
thy husband freed by me ! Thou wilt be able to take him back free from
disease. And he will attain to success ! And along with thee, he will
attain a life of four hundred years. And celebrating sacrifices with due
rites, he will achieve great fame in this world. And upon thee Satyavan
will also beget a century of sons. And these Kshatriyas with their sons and
grandsons will all be kings, and will always be famous in connection with
thy name. And thy father also will beget a hundred sons on thy mother
Malavi. And under the name of the Malavas, thy Kshatriya brothers,
resembling the celestials, will be widely known along with their sons and
daughters !' And having bestowed these boons on Savitri and having thus
made her desist, Yama departed for his abode. Savitri, after Yama had
gone away, went back to the spot where her husband's ash-coloured corpse
lay, and seeing her lord on the ground, she approached him, and taking hold
of him, she placed his head on her lap and herself sat down on the ground.
Then Satyavan regained his consciousness, and affectionately eyeing Savitri
again and again, like one come home after a sojourn in a strange land, he
addressed her thus, 'Alas, I have slept long ! Wherefore didst thou not
awake me ? And where is that same sable person that was dragging me
away ?' At these words of his, Savitri said, 'Thou hast, 0 bull among men,
slept long on my lap ! That restrainer of creatures, the worshipful Yama,
had gone away. Thou art refreshed, O blessed one, and sleep hath for-
saken thee, 0 son of a king ! If thou art able, rise thou up I Behold, the
night fs deep !' "
VANA PARVA 635
"Markandeya continued, 'Having regained consciousness, Satyavan
rose up like one who had enjoyed a sweet sleep, and seeing every side
covered with woods, said, 'O girl of slender waist, I came with thee
for procuring fruits. Then while I was cutting wood I felt a pain in my
head. And on account of that intense pain about my head I was unable
to stand for any length of time, and, therefore, I lay on thy lap and slept.
All this, O auspicious lady, I remember. Then, as thou didst embrace me,
sleep stole away my senses. I then saw that it was dark all around. In
the midst of it I saw a person of exceeding effulgence. If thou knowest
everything, do thou then, O girl of slender waist, tell me whether what I
saw was only a dream or a reality !' Thereupon, Savitri addressed him,
saying, 'The night deepens. I shall, 0 prince, relate everything unto thee
on the morrow. Arise, arise, may good betide thee ! And, O thou of
excellent vowS, come and behold thy parents ! The sun hath set a long
while ago and the night deepens. Those rangers of the night, having
frightful voices, are walking about in glee. And sounds are heard, proceed-
ing from the denizens of the forest treading through the woods. These
terrible shrieks of jackals that are issuing from the south and the east
make my heart tremble ( in fear ) !' Satyavan then said, 'Covered with
deep darkness, the wilderness hath worn a dreadful aspect. Thou wilt,
therefore, not be able to discern the tract, and consequently wilt not be
able to go !' Then Savitri replied, 'In consequence of a conflagration
having taken place in the forest today a withered tree standeth aflame, and
the flames being stirred by the wind are discerned now and then. I
shall fetch some fire and light these faggots around. Do thou dispel all
anxiety. I will do all ( this ) if thou darest not go, for I find thee unwell.
Nor wilt thou be able to discover the way through this forest enveloped
in darkness. Tomorrow when the woods become visible, we will go
hence, if thou please ! If, O sinless one, it is thy wish, we shall pass
this night even here !' At these words of hers, Satyavan replied, 'The
pain in my head is off ; and I feel well in my limbs. With thy favour I
wish to behold my father and mother. Never before did I return to the
hermitage after the proper time had passed away. Even before it is twi-
light my mother confineth me within the asylum. Even when I come out
during the day, my parents become anxious on my account, and my father
searcheth for me, together with all the inhabitants of the sylvan asylums.
Before this, moved by deep grief, my father and mother had rebuked me
many times and often, saying, — Thou earnest having tarried long ! I am
thinking of the pass they have today come to on my account, for, surely,
great grief will be theirs when they rniss me. One night before this, the old
couple, who love me dearly, wept from deep sorrow and said unto me,
'Deprived of thee, O son, we cannot live for even a moment. As long as
thou livest, so long, surely, we also will live. Thou art the crutch of these
blind ones ; on thee doth perpetuity of our race depend. On thee also depend
636 MAEABHARAtfA
our funeral cake, our fame and our descendants ! My mother is old, and
my father also is so. I am surely their crutch. If they see me not in the
night, what, oh, will be their plight I I hate that slumber of mine f<
the sake of which my unoffending mother and my father have both been
in trouble, and I myself also, am placed in such rending distress !
Without my father and mother, I cannot bear to live. It is certain that
by this time my blind father, his mind disconsolate with grief, is asking
every one of the inhabitants of the hermitage about me ! I do not, O fail-
girl, grieve so much for myself as I do for my sire, and for my weak mother
ever obedient to her lord ! Surely, they will be afflicted with extreme
anguish on account of me. I hold my life so long as they live. And I
know that they should be maintained by me and that I should do only
what is agreeable to them P
"Markandeya continued, 'Having said this, that virtuous youth who
loved and revered his parents, afflicted with grief held up his arms and
began to lament in accents of woe. And seeing her lord overwhelmed with
sorrow the virtuous Savitri wiped away the tears from his eyes and said,
'If I have observed austerities, and have given away in charity, and have
performed sacrifice, may this night be for the good of my father-in-law,
mother-in-law and husband ! I do not remember having told a single
falsehood, even in jest. Let my father-in-law and mother-in-law hold
their lives Jay virtue of the truth !' Satyavan said, 'I long for the sight of
my father and mother ! Therefore, O Savitri, proceed without delay. 0
beautiful damsel, I swear by my own self that if I find any evil to have
befallen my father and mother, I will not live. If thou hast any regard
for virtue, if thou wishest me to live, if it is thy duty to do what is agree-
able to me, proceed thou to the hermitage P The beautiful Savitri then
rose and tying up her hair, raised her husband in her arms. And Satya-
van having risen, rubbed his limbs with his hands. And as he surveyed
all around, his eyes fell upon his wallet. Then Savitri said unto him,
'Tomorrow thou mayst gather fruits. And I shall carry thy axe for thy
ease.' Then hanging up the wallet upon the bough of a tree, and taking
up the axe, she re-approached her husband. And that lady of beautiful
thighs, placing her husband's left arm upon her left shoulder, and embrac-
ing him with her right arms, proceeded with elephantic gait. Then Satya-
van said, *0 timid one, by virtue of habit, the ( forest ) paths are known
to me. And further, by the light of the moon between the trees, I can
see them. We have now reached the same path that we took in the morn-
ing for gathering fruits. Do thou, 0 auspicious one, proceed by the way
that we had come : thou needst not any longer feel dubious about our
path. Near that tract overgrown with Palasa tree, the way diverges into
two. Do thou proceed along the path that lies to the north of it. I am
now well and have got back my strength. I long to see my father and
mother !' Saying this Satyavan hastily proceeded towards the hermitage.1 ''
SECTION CCLXLVI
( Pativrata-mahatmya Parva continued)
"Markandeya said, 'Meanwhile the mighty Dyumateena, having
regained his sight, could see everything. And when his vision grew clear
he saw everything around him. And, 0 bull of the Bharata race, proceed-
ing with his wife Saivya to all the (neighbouring) asylums in search of his
son, he became extremely distressed on his account. And that night the old
couple went about searching in asylums, and rivers, and woods, and floods.
And whenever they heard any sound, they stood rising their heads, anxiously
thinking that their son was coming, and said, *O yonder cometh Satyavan
with Savitri !' And they rushed hithor and thither like maniacs, their feet
torn, cracked, wounded, and bleeding, pierced with thorns and Kusa blades.
Then all the Brahmanas dwelling in that hermitage came unto them, and
surrounding them on all sides, comforted them, and brought them back to
their own asylum. And there Dyumatsena with his wife surrounded by
aged ascetics, was entertained with stories of monarchs of former times.
And although that old couple desirous of seeing their son, was comforted,
yet recollecting the youthful days of their son, they became exceedingly
sorry. And afflicted with grief, they began to lament in piteous accents, say-
ing, 'Alas, 0 son, alas, 0 chaste daughter-in-law, where are you ?' Then
a truthful Brahmana of the name of Suvarchas spake unto them, saying,
'Considering the austerities, self-restraint, and behaviour of his wife Savitri,
there can be no doubt that Satyavan liveth !' And Gautama said, *I have
studied all the Vedas with their branches, and I have acquired great ascetic
merit. And I have led a celebate existence, practising also the Brahma-
charya mode of life. I have gratified Agni and my superiors. With rapt
soul I have also observed all the vows : and I have according to the ordi-
nance, frequently lived upon air alone. By virtue of this ascetic merit, I am
cognisant of all the doings of others. Therefore, do thou take it for certain
that Satyavan liveth.' Thereupon his disciple said, 'The words that have
fallen from the lips of my preceptor can never be false. Therefore, Satyavan
surely liveth.' And the Bishi said, 'Considering the auspicious marks that
his wife Savitri beareth and all of which indicate immunity from widow-
hood, there can be no doubt that Satyavan liveth !' And Varadwaja said,
'Having regard to the ascetic merit, self-restraint, and conduct of his wife
Savitri, there can be no doubt that Satyavan liveth.' And Dalbhya said,
'Since thou hast regained thy sight, and since Savitri hath gone away after
completion of the vow, without taking any food, there can be no doubt
that Satyavan liveth.' And Apastamba said, 'From the manner in which
the voices of birds and wild animals are being heard through the stillness of
the atmosphere on all sides, and from the fact also of thy having regained
the use of thy eyes, indicating thy usefulness for earthly purposes once
638 MAHABHABATA
more, there can be no doubfc that Satyavan liveth.' And Dhauma said, 'As
thy son is graced with every virtue, and as he is the beloved of all, and as
he is possessed of marks betokening a long life, there can be no doubt
that Satyavan liveth.1
"Markandeya continued, 'Thus cheered by those ascetics of truthful
speech, Dyumatsena pondering over those points, attained a little ease. A
little while after, Savitri with her husband Satyavan reached the hermitage
during the night and entered it with a glad heart. The Brahmanas then
said, 'Beholding this meeting with thy son, and thy restoration to eye-
sight, we all wish thee well, O lord of earth. Thy meeting with thy son,
thy sight of thy daughter-in-law, and thy restoration to sight — consitute
a threefold prosperity which thou hast gained. What we all have said must
come to pass : there can be no doubt of this. Henceforth thou shalt rapidly
grow in prosperity.' Then, O Pritha's son, the twice-born ones lighted a
fire and sat themselves down before king Dyumatsena. And Saivya, and
Satyavan, and Savitri who stood apart, their hearts free from grief, sat down
with the permission of them all. Then, 0 Partha, seated with the monarch
those dwellers of the woods, actuated by curiosity, asked the king's son,
saying, 'Why didst thou not, O illustrious one, come back earlier with thy
wife ? Why hast thou come so late in the night ? What obstacle preven-
ted thee ! We do not know, 0 son of a king, why thou hast caused such
alarm to us, and to thy father and mother. It behoveth thee to tell us all
about this.' Thereupon, Satyavan said, 'With the permission of my father, I
went to the woods with Savitri There, as I was hewing wood in the forest,
I felt a pain in my head. And in consequence of the pain, I fell into a deep
sleep. — This is all that I remember. I had never slept so long before. I have
come so late at night, in order that ye might not grieve (on my account).
There is no other reason for this.' Gautama then said, 'Thou knowest
not then the cause of thy father's sudden restoration to sight. It, there-
fore, behoveth Savitri to relate it. I wish to hear it (from thee), for surely
thou art conversant with the mysteries of good and evil. And, 0 Savitri,
I know thee to be like the goddess Savitri herself in splendour. Thou must
know the cause of this. Therefore, do thou relate it truly ! If it should
not be kept a secret, do thou unfold it unto us !' At these words of Gautama
Savitri said, 'it is as ye surmise. Your desire shall surely not be unfulfilled.
I have no secret to keep. Listen to the truth then ! The high-souled
Narada had predicted the death of my husband. To-day was the appointed
time. I could not, therefore, bear to be separated from my husband's
company. And after he had fallen asleep, Yam a, accompanied by his
messengers, presented himself before him, and tying him, began to take
him away towards the region inhabited by the Pitris. Thereupon I begai
to praise that august god, with truthful words. And he granted me five
boons, of which do ye hear from me ! For my father-in-law I have obtained
these two boons, viz., his restoration to sight as also to his kingdom.
VANA PARVA 639
My father also hath obtained a hundred sons. And I myself have obtained
a hundred sons. And my husband Satyavan hath obtained a life of
four hundred years. It was for the sake of my husband's life that I had
observed that vow. Thus have I narrated unto you in detail the cause by
which this mighty misfortune of mine was afterwards turned into happiness.
The Rishis said, *O chaste lady of excellent disposition, observant of vows
and endued with virtue, and sprung from an illustrious line, by thee hath
the race of this foremost of kings, which was overwhelmed with calamities,
and was sinking in an ocean of darkness, been rescued.'
"Markandeya continued, 'Then having applauded and reverenced that
best of women, those Eishis there assembled bade farewell to that foremost
of kings as well as to his son. And having saluted them thus, they speedily
went, in peaca with cheerful hearts, to their respective abodes.' "
SECTION CCLXLVII
(Pativrata-mahatmya Parva continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'When the night had passed away, and the
solar orb had risen, those ascetics, having performed their morning rites,
assembled together. And although those mighty sages again and again
spake unto Dyumatsena of the high fortune of Savitri, yet they were never
satisfied. And it so happened, 0 king, that there came to that hermitage a
large body of people from Salwa. And they brought tidings of the enemy of
Dyumatsena having been slain by his own minister. And they related unto
him all that had happened, viz., bow having heard that the usurper had
been slain with all his friends and allies by his minister, his troops had all
fled, and how all the subjects had become unanimous (on behalf of their
legitimate king), saying, 'Whether possessed of sight or not, even he shall
be our king !' And they said, 'We have been sent to thee inconsequence
of that resolve. This cars of thine, and this army also consisting of four
kinds of forces, have arrived for thee ! Good betide thee, O king ! Do thou
come ! Thou hast been proclaimed in the city. Do thou for ever occupy
the station belonging to thy father and grand-father !' And beholding the
king possessed of sight and able-bodied, they bowed down their heads,
their eyes expanded with wonder. Then having worshipped those old and
Brahmanas dwelling in the hermitage and honoured by them in return, the
king set out for his city. And surrounded by the soldiers, Saivya also
accompanied by Savitri, went in a vehicle furnished with shining sheets and
borne on the shoulders of men. Then the priests with joyful hearts installed
Dyumatsena on the throne with his high-souled son as prince-regent. And
after the lapse of a long time, Savitri gave birth to a century of sons, all
warlike and unretreating from battle, and enhancing the fame of Salwa's
race. And she also had a century of highly powerful uterine brothers
born unto Aswapati, the lord of the Madras, by Malavi. Thus, 0 son of
640 MAHABHAEATA
Pritha, did Savitri raise from pitiable plight to high fortune, herself, and
her father and mother, her father-in-law and mother-in-law, as also the
race of her husband. And like that gentle lady Savitri, the auspicious
daughter of Drupada, endued with excellent character, will rescue you all."
Vaisampayana said, "Thus exhorted by that high-souled sage, the son
of Pandu, 0 king, with his mind free from anxiety, continued to live in the
forest of Kamyaka. The man that listeneth with reverence to the excellent
story of Savitri, attaineth to happiness, and success in everything, and
never meeteth with misery 1"
SECTION CCLXLVIII
(Kundala-harana Parva)
Janamejaya said, — "What, O Brahmana, was that great fear enter-
tained by Yudhishthira in respect of Kama, for which Lomasa had conveyed
to the son of Pandu a message of deep import from Indra in these words,
That intense fear of thine which thou dost never express to any one, I will
remove after Dhananjaya goethfrom hence ? And, 0 best of ascetics, why
was it that the virtuous Yudhishthira never expressed it to any one ?"
Vaisampayana said, "As thou askest me, 0 tiger among kings, I will
relate that history unto thee ! Do thou listen to my words, 0 best of the
Bharatas ! After twelve years (of their exile) had passed away and the
thirteenth years had set in, Sakra, ever friendly to the sons of Pandu, re-
solved to beg of Kama (his ear-rings). And, O mighty monarch, ascertaining
this intention of the great chief of the celestials about (Kama's) ear-rings,
Surya, having effulgence for his wealth, went unto Kama. And, 0 fore-
most of kings, while that hero devoted to the Brahmanas and truthful in
speech was lying down at night at his ease on a rich bed overlaid with a
costly sheet, the effulgent deity, filled with kindness and affection for his
son, showed himself, O Bharata, unto him in his dreams. And assuming
from ascetic power the form of a handsome Brahmana versed in the Vedas,
Surya sweetly said unto Kama these words for his benefit, 'O son, do thou
O Kama, listen to these words of mine, O thou foremost of truthful
persons ! O mighty-armed one, I tell thee to-day from affection, what is
for thy great good ! With the object, 0 Kama, of obtaining thy ear-rings,
Sakra, moved by the desire of benefiting the sons of Pandu, will come unto
thee, disguised as a Brahmana ! He, as well as all the world, knoweth
thy character, viz., that when solicited by pious people, thou givest away
but never takest in gift ! Thou, 0 son, givest unto Brahmanas wealth or
any other thing that is asked of thee and never refusest anything to any-
body. Knowing thee to be such, the subduer himself of Paka will come to
beg of thee thy ear-rings and coat of mail. When he beggeth the ear-rings
of thee, it behoveth thee not to give them away, but to gratify him with
sweet speeches to the best of thy power. Even this is for thy supreme
VAN A PABVA 641
good ! While asking thee for the ear-rings, thou shalt, with various rea-
Bons, repeatedly refuse Purandara who is desirous of obtaining them,
offering him, instead, various other kinds of wealth, such as gems and
women and kine, and citing various precedents. If thou, O Kama, givest
away thy beautiful ear-rings born with thee, thy life being shortened, thou
wilt meet with death ! Arrayed in thy mail and ear-rings, thou wilt, O
bestower of honours, be incapable of being slain by foes in battle ! Do
thou lay to heart these words of mine 1 Both these jewelled ornaments
have sprung from Amrita. Therefore, they should be preserved by thee, if
thy life is at all dear to thee."
"Hearing these words, Kama said, 'Who art thou that tellest me
so, showing me such kindness ? If it pleaseth thee, tell me, 0 illustrious
one, who thou art in the guise of a Brahmana !' — The Brahmana thereupon
said, '0 son, I am he of a thousand rays ! Out of affection, I point out to
thee the path ! Act thou according to my words, as it is for thy great good
to do so V Kama replied, 'Surely, this itself is highly fortunate for me
that the god himself of splendour addresses me today, seeking my welfare.
Listen, however, to these words of mine ! May it please thee, 0 bostower of
boons, it is only from affection that I tell thee this ! If I am dear to thee,
I should not be dissuaded from the observance of my vow ! 0 thou that
are possessed of the wealth of effulgence, the whole world knoweth this
to be my vow that, of a verity, I am prepared to give away life itself unto
superior Brahmanas ! If, 0 best of all rangers of the sky, Sakra cometh to
me, disguised as a Brahmaua, to beg for the benefit of the sons of Pandu,
I will, O chief of the celestials, give him the ear-rings and the excellent
mail, so that my fame which hath spread over the three worlds may not
suffer any diminution ! For persons like us, it is not fib to save life by a
blame-worthy act. On the contrary, it is even proper for us to meet death
with the approbation of the world and under circumstances bringing fame.
Therefore, will I bestow upon Indra the ear-rings with my coat of mail ! If
the slayer himself of Vala and Yritra cometh to ask for the ear-rings for the
benefit of the sons of Pandu, that will conduce to my fame, leading at the
same time to his infamy ! 0 thou possessed of splendour, I wish for fame
in this world, even if it is to be purchased with life itself ; for they that
have fame enjoy the celestial regions, while they that are destitute of it are
lost. Fame keepeth people alive in this world even like a mother, while
infamy killeth men even though they may move about with bodies undes-
troyed. 0 lord of the worlds, O thou possessed of the wealth of effulgence,
that fame is the life of men is evidenced by an ancient sloka sung by the
Creator himself, — In the next world it is fame that is the chief support of a
person, while in this world pure fame lengthens life. Therefore, by giving
away my ear-rings and mail with both of which I was born I will win eter-
nal fame ! And by duly giving away the same to Brahmanas according to the
82
642 MAHABHAEATA
ordinance, by offering up my body (as a gift to the gods) in the sacrifice of
war, by achieving feats difficult of performance, and by conquering my foes
in fight, I will acquire nothing but renown. And by dispelling on the field
of battle the fears of the affrighted that may beg for their lives, and reliev-
ing old men and boys and Brahmanas from terror and anxiety, I will win
excellent fame and the highest heaven. My fame is to be protected with
the sacrifice of even my life. Even this, know thou, is my vow ! By giving
away such a valuable gift to Maghavan disguised as a Brahmana, I will, 0
god, acquire in this world the most exalted state.' "
SECTION CCLXLIX
(Kundala-harana Parva continued)
"Surya said, 'Never do, O Kama, anything that is harmful to thy self
and thy friends, thy sons, thy wives, thy father, and thy mother ; 0 thou
best of those that bear life, people desire renown (in this world) and lasting
fame in heaven, without wishing to sacrifice their bodies. But as thou
desirest undying fame at the expense of thy life, she will, without doubt,
snatch away thy life ! O bull among men, in this world, the father, the
mother, the son, and other relatives are of use only to him that is alive. 0
tiger among men, as regard kings, it is only when they are alive that pro-
wess can be of any use to them. Do bhou understand this ? 0 thou of
exceeding splendour, fame is for the good of these only that are alive ! Of
what use is fame to the dead whose bodies have been reduced to ashes ?
One that is dead cannot enjoy renown. It is only when one is alive that
one can enjoy it. The fame of one that is dead is like a garland of flowers
around the neck of a corpse. As thou reverest me, I tell thee this for thy
benefit, because thou art a worshipper of mine ! They that worship me are
always protected by me. That also is another reason for my addressing
thee thus ! Thinking again, 0 mighty-armed one, that this one revereth
me with great reverence, I have been inspired with love for thee ! Do
thou, therefore, act according to my words ! There is, besides some pro-
found mystery in all this, ordained by fate. It is for this, that I tell thee
so. Do thou act without mistrust of any kind ! 0 bull among men, it is
not fit for thee to know this which is a secret to the very gods. Therefore,
1 do not reveal that secret unto thee. Thou wilt, however, understand it
in time. I repeat what I have already said. Do thou, O Radha's son, lay
my words to heart ! When the wielder of the thunder-bolt asketh thee
for them, do thou never give him thy ear-rings ! 0 thou of exceeding
splendour, with thy handsome ear-rings, thou lookest beautiful, even like
the Moon himself in the clear firmament, between the Visakha constella-
tion ! Dost thou know that fame availeth only the person that is living.
Therefore, when the lord of the celestials will ask the ear-rings, thou
shouldst, O son, refuse him 1 Eepeating again and again answers fraught
with various reaeons,thou wilt, 0 sinless one, be able to remove the eager-
VANA PAEVA 643
ness of the lord of the celestial for the possession of the ear-rings. Do thou,
0 Kama, after Purandara's purpose by urging answers fraught with reason
and grave import and adorned with sweetness and suavity. Thou dost
always, 0 tiger among men, challenge him that can draw the bow with his
left hand, and heroic Arjuna also will surely encounter thee in fight. But
when furnished with thy ear-rings, Arjuna will never be able to vanquish
thee in fight even if Indra himself comes to his assistance. Therefore, O
Kama, if thou wishest to vanquish Arjuna in battle, these handsome ear-
rings of thine should never be parted with to Sakra.' "
SECTION COG
(Kundala-harana Parva continued)
"Kama said, 'As thou, O lord of splendour, knowest me for thy
worshipper, so also thou knowest that there is nothing which I cannot give
away in charity, 0 thou of fiery rays 1 Neither my wives, nor my sons,
nor my own self, nor my friends, are so dear to me as thou, on account of
the veneration I feel for thee, 0 lord of splendour ! Thou knowest, O
maker of light, that high-souled persons bear a loving regard for their dear
worshippers. Kama revereth me and is dear to me. He knoweth no other
deity in heaven, — thinking this thou hast, 0 lord, said unto me what is for
my benefit. "Xet, O thou of bright rays, again do I beseech thee with
bended head, again do I place myself in thy hands. I will repeat the
answer I have already given. It behoveth thee to forgive me ! Death itself
is not fraught with such terrors for me as untruth ! As regards especially
the Brahmanas, again, I do not hesitate to yield up my life even for them !
And, O divine one, respecting what thou hast said unto me of Phalguna, the
son of Pandu, let thy grief born of thy anxiety of heart, O lord of splendour,
be dispelled touching him and myself ; for I shall surely conquer Arjuna
in battle ! Thou knowest, 0 deity, that I have great strength of weapons
obtained from Jamadagnya and the high-souled Drona. Permit me now,
0 foremost of celestials, to observe my vow, so that unto him of the thun-
der-bolt coming to beg of me, I may give away even my life !'
"Surya said, 'If, 0 son, thou givest away thy ear-rings to the wielder
of the thunder-bolt, O thou of mighty strength, thou shouldst also,
for the purpose of securing victory, speak unto him, saying,— 0 thou of a
hundred sacrifices, I shall give thee ear-rings under a condition. — Furnished
with the ear-rings, thou art certainly incapable of being slain by any being.
Therefore, it is, 0 son, that desirous of beholding thee slain in battle by
Arjuna, the destroyer of the Danavas desireth to deprive thee of thy ear-
rings. Repeatedly adoring with truthful words that lord of the celestials,
viz., Purandara armed with weapons incapable of being frustrated, do thou
also beseech him, saying, 'Give me an infallible dart capable of slaying all
foes, and I will, O thousand-eyed deity, give the ear- rings with the excellent
644 MAHABHAKATA
coat of mail !' On this condition shouldst thou give the ear-rings unto
Sakra. With that dart, O Kama, thou wilt slay foes in battle : for,
O mighty-armed one, that dart of the chief of the celestials doth not return
to the hand that hurleth it, without slaying enemies by hundreds and by
thousands !' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Having said this, the thousand-rayed
deity suddenly vanished away. The next day, after having told his prayers,
Kama related his dream unto the Sun. And Vrisha related unto him the
vision he had seen, and all that had passed between them in the night.
Thereupon, having heard everything, that enemy of Swarbhanu, that lord,
the resplendent and divine Surya, said unto him with a smile, 'it is even
so !' Then Eadha's son, that slayer of hostile heroes, knowing all about
the matter, and desirous of obtaining the dart, remained in expectation of
Vasava."
SECTION CCCI
(Kundala-harana Parva continued)
Janamejaya said, "What was that secret which was not revealed to
Kama by the deity of warm rays ? Of what kind also were those ear-rings
and of what sort was^ that coat of mail ? Whence, too, was that mail and
those ear-rings ? All this, 0 best of men, I wish to hear ! 0 thou possessed
of the wealth of asceticism, do tell me all this !''
Vaisampayana said, "I will, 0 monarch, tell thee that secret which
was not revealed by the deity possessed of the wealth of effulgence. I will
also describe unto thee those ear-rings and that coat of mail. Once on a
time, 0 king, there appeared before Kuntibhoja a Brahmana of fierce energy
and tall stature, bearing a beard and matted locks, and carrying a staff in
his hand. And he was agreeable to the eye, and of faultless limbs, and
seemed to blaze forth in splendour. And he was possessed of a yellow-bine
complexion like that of honey. And his speech was mellifluous, and he was
adorned with ascetic merit and a knowledge of the Vedas. And that person
of great ascetic merit, addressing king Kuntibhoja, said, '0 thou that are
free from pride, I wish to live as a guest in thy house feeding on the food
obtained as alms from thee ! Neither thy followers, nor thou thyself, shall
ever act in such a way as to produce my displeasure ! If, O sinless one, it
liketh thee, I would then live in thy house thus ! I shall leave thy abode
when I wish, and come back when I please. And, 0 king, no one shall
offend me in respect of my food or bed.' — Then Kuntibhoja spake unto him
these words cheerfully, 'Be it so, and more.' And he again said unto him,
'0 thou of great wisdom, I have an illustrious daughter named Pritha. And
she beareth an excellent character, is observant of vow, chaste, and of sub-
dued senses. And she shall attend on thee and minister unto thee with
reverence. And thou wilt be pleased with her disposition !' And having
VANA PAKVA 645
said this to that Brahmana and duly paid him homage, the king went to his
daughter Prifcha of large eyes, anl spake thus unto her, 'O child, this
eminently pious Brahmana is desirous of dwelling in my house ! I have
accepted his proposal, saying, — So be it, relying, 0 child, on thy aptitude
and skill in ministering unto Brahmanas. It, therefore, behoveth thee to
act in such a manner that my words may not be untrue. Do thou give him
with alacrity whatever this reverend Brahmana possessed of ascetic merit
and engaged in the study of the Vedas, may want Let everything that this
Brahmana asketh for be given to him cheerfully. A Brahmana is the
embodiment of pre-eminent energy : he is also the embodiment of the
highest ascetic merit. It is in consequence of the virtuous practices
of Brahmanas that the sun shineth in the heavens. It was for their
disregard of Brahmanas that were deserving of honour that the mighty
Asura Vatapi, as also Talajangha, was destroyed by the curse of the
Brahmanas. For the present, 0 child, it is a highly virtuous one of that
order that is entrusted to thy keep. Thou shouldst always tend this Brah-
mana with concentrated mind, 0 daughter, I know that, from childhood
upwards, thou hast ever been attentive to Brahmanas, and superiors, and
relatives, and servants, and friends, to thy mothers and myeelf. I know
thou bearest thyself well, bestowing proper regard upon everyone. And, 0
thou of faultless limbs, in the city of the interior of my palace, on account
of thy gentle behaviour, there is not one, even among the servants, that
is dissatisfied with thee. I have, therefore, thought thee fit to wait upon
all Brahmanas of wrathful temper. Thou art, 0 Pritha, a girl and has been
adopted as my daughter. Thou art born in the race of the Vrishnis, and
art the favourite daughter of Sura. Thou wert, 0 girl, given to me gladly
by thy father himself. The sister of Yasudeva by birth, thou art (by adop-
tion) the foremost of my children. Having promised me in these words, —
I will give my first born, — thy father gladly gave thee to me while thou
wert yet in thy infancy. It is for this reason that thou art my daughter.
Born in such a race and reared in such a race, thou hast come from one
happy state to another like a lotus transferred from one lake to another.
O auspicious girl, women, specially they that are of mean extraction,
although they may with difficulty be kept under restraint, become in conse-
quence of their unripe age, generally deformed in character. But thou,
0 Pritha, art born in a royal race, and thy beauty also is extraordinary.
And then, O girl, thou art endued with every accomplishment. Do thou,
therefore, 0 damsel, renouncing pride and haughtiness and a sense of self-
importance, wait upon and worship the boon-giving Brahmana, and thereby
attain, O Pritha, to an auspicious state ! By acting thus, 0 auspicious and
sinless girl, thou wilt surely attain to auspiciousness ! But if on the con-
trary, thou stirest up the anger of this best of the twice-born ones, my
entire race will be consumed by him !' "
SECTION CCCII
(Eundala-harana Parva continued)
"Kunti said, 'According to thy promise, I will, 0 king, with con-
centrated mind, serve that Brahmana. O foremost of kings, I do not say
this falsely. It is my nature to worship Brahmanas. And, as in the present
case, my doing so would be agreeable to thee, even this would be highly
conducive to my welfare. Whether that worshipful one cometh in the even-
ing, or in morning, or at night or even at midnight, he will have no reason
to be angry with me ! 0 foremost of kings, to do good by serving the twice-
born ones, observing all thy commands, is what I consider to be highly
profitable to me, 0 best of men ! Do thou, therefore, 0 foremost of monarchs
rely on me ! That best of Brahmanas, while residing in thy house, shall
never have cause for dissatisfaction. I tell thee truly. I shall, 0 king,
be always attentive to that which is agreeable to this Brahmana,
and what is fraught also with good to thee. O sinless one ! I know
full well that Brahmanas that are eminently virtuous, when pro-
pitiated bestow salvation, and when displeased, are capable of bringing
about destruction upon the offender. Therefore, I shall please this fore-
most of Brahmanas. Thou wilt not, O monarch, come to any grief from
that best of regenerate persons, owing to any act of mine. In consequence of
the transgressions of monarchs, Brahmanas, 0 foremost of kings, became
the cause of evil to them, as Chyavana had become, in consequence of the
act of Sukanya. I will, therefore, 0 king, with great regularity, wait upon
that best of Brahmanas according to thy instructions in that respect !' And
when she had thus spoken at length, the king embraced and cheered her, and
instructed her in detail as to what should be done by her. And the king
said, 'Thou shalt, 0 gentle maid, act even thus, without fear, for my good
as also thy own, and for the good of thy race also, O thou of faultless
limbs !' And having said this the illustrious Kuntibhoja, who was devoted
to the Brahmanas, made over the girl Pritha to that Brahmana, saying,
'This my daughter, 0 Brahmana, is of tender age and brought up in luxury.
If, therefore, she transgresses at any time, do thou not take that to heart !
Illustrious Brahmanas are never angry with old men, children, and ascetics,
even if these transgress frequently. In respect of even a great wrong for-
giveness is due from the regenerate. The worship, therefore, 0 best of
Brahmanas, that is offered to the best of one's power and exertion, should
be acceptable !' Hearing this words of the monarch, the Brahmana said,
'So be it !' Thereupon, the king became highly pleased and assigned unto
him apartments that were white as swans or the beams of the moon. And
in the room intended for the sacrificial fire, the king placed a brilliant seat
especially constructed for him. And the food and other things that were offer-
ed unto the Brahmana were of the same excellent kind. And casting aside
VANA PARVA 647
idleness and all sense of self-importance, the princess addressed herself
with right good will to wait upon the Brahmana. And the chaste Kunti,
endued with purity of conduct, went thither for serving the Brahmana.
And duly waiting upon that Brahmana as if he were a very god, she
gratified him highly."
SECTION CCCIII
(Kundala-harana Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "And that maiden of rigid vows, 0 mighty
monarch, by serving with a pure heart, that Brahmana of rigid vows,
succeeded in gratifying him. And, 0 foremost of kings, saying, 'I will
come back in the morning,' that best of Brahmanas sometimes came in the
evening or in night. Him, however, the maiden worshipped at all
hours with sumptuous food and drink and bed. And as day after day
passed away, her attentions to him, in respect of food and seat and bed,
increased instead of undergoing any diminution. And, O king, even when
the Brahmana reproved her, finding fault with any of her arrangements, or
addressed her in harsh words, Pritha did not do anything that was dis-
agreeable to him. And on many occasions the Brahmana came back after
the appointed hour had long passed away. And on many occasions (such as
the depth of night) when food was hard to procure, he said, 'Give me food !'
But on all those occassions saying, 'All is ready,'— Pritha held before him
the fare. And even like a disciple, daughter, or a sister, that blameless
gem of a girl with a devoted heart, 0 king, gratified that foremost of Brah-
manas. And that best of Brahmanas became well-pleased with her conduct
and ministrations. And he received those attentions of hers, valuing them
rightly. And, 0 Bharata, her father asked her every morning and evening
saying, 40 daughter, is the Brahmana satisfied with thy ministrations ?'
And that illustrious maiden used to reply, 'Exceedingly well !' And there-
upon, the high-souled Kuntibhoja experienced the greatest delight. And
when after a full year that best of ascetics was unable to find any fault
whatever in Pritha, who was engaged in ministering unto him, well-pleased
he said unto her, 'O gentle maid, I have been well-pleased with thy
attentions, 0 beautiful girl ! I)o thou, O blessed girl, ask even for such
boons as are difficult of being obtained by men in this world, and obtaining
which, thou mayst surpass in fame all the women in this world.' At these
words of his, Kunti said, 'Everything hath already been done in my behalf
since thou, 0 chief of those that are versed in the Vedas, and my father
also, have been pleased with me ! As regards the boons, I consider them
as already obtained by me, 0 Brahmana !' The Brahmana thereupon said,
'If, 0 gentle maid, thou dost not, 0 thou of sweet smiles, wish to obtain
boons from me, do thou then take this mantra from me for invoking the
celestials ! Any one amongst the celestials whom thou mayst invoke by
uttering this mantra, will appear before thee and be under thy power.
648 MAHABHABATA
Willing or not, by virtue of this mantra, that deity in gentle guise, and
assuming the obedient attitude of slave, will become subject to thy power !' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed, that faultless maiden
could not, 0 king, from fear of a, curse, refuse for the second time compli-
ance with the wishes of that best of the twice-born ones. Then, 0 king, that
Brahmana imparted unto that girl of faultless limbs those mantras which
are recited in the beginning of the Atharvan Veda. And, 0 king, having
imparted unto her those mantras, he said unto Kuntibhoja, 'I have, O
monarch, dwelt happily in thy house, always worshipped with due regard
and gratified by thy daughter. I shall now depart.' And saying this, he
vanished there and then. And beholding that Brahmana vanish there and
then, the king was struck with amazement. And the monarch then treated
his daughter Pritha with proper regard."
SECTION CCCIV
(Kundala-harana Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "When that foremost of Brahmanas had gone
away on some other errand, the maiden began to ponder over the virtue of
those mantras. And she said to herself, 'Of what nature are those mantras
that have been bestowed on me by that high-souled one ? I shall without
delay test their power.' And as she was thinking in this way, she suddenly
perceived indications of the approach of her season. And her season having
arrived, while she was yet unmarried, she blushed in shame. And it came
to pass that as she was seated in her chamber on a rich bed, she beheld
the solar orb rising in the east. And both the mind and the eyes of that
maiden of excellent waist became rivetted fast upon the solar orb. And she
gazed and gazed on that orb without being satiated with the beauty of the
morning Sun. And she suddenly became gifted with celestial sight. And
then she beheld that god of divine form accoutred in mail and adorned with
ear rings. And at sight of the god, 0 lord of men, she became curious as
to the (potency of the) mantras. And thereupon that maiden resolved to
invoke him. And having recourse to Pranayama, she invoked the Maker of
day. And thus invoked by her, 0 king, the Maker of day speedily presented
himself. And he was of a yellowish hue like honey, and was possessed of
mighty arms, and his neck was marked with lines like those of a conch-
shell. And furnished with armlets, and decked with a diadem, he came
smiling, and illumining all the directions. And it was by Yoga power that
he divided himself in twain, one of which continued to give heat, and the
other appeared before Kunti. And he addressed Kunti in words that were
exceedingly sweet, saying, '0 gentle maiden, over-powered by the mantras,
I come hither obedient to thee. Subject as I am to thy power, what shall
I do, 0 queen ? Tell me, for I shall do whatever thou mayst command ?
1 In the original, Vimanam, i. e, a car, — T.
VANA PAEVA 649
Hearing these words of the deity, Kunti said, 'O worshipful one, go thou
back to the place thou hast come from ! I invoked thee from curiosity
alone. Pardon me, O worshipful one !' Surya then said, 'O damsel of
slender waist, I will, even as thou hast said, return to the place I have
come from ! Having called a celestial, it is not, however, proper to send
him away in vain. Thy intention, O blessed one, it is to have from Surya
a son furnished with a coat of mail and ear-rings, and who in point of
prowess would be beyond compare in this world ! Do thou, therefore, 0
damsel of elephantine gait, surrender thy person to me ! Thou shalt then
have, O lady, a son after thy wish ! 0 gentle girl, 0 thou of sweet smiles,
I will go back after having known thee ! If thou do not gratify me to-day
by obeying my word, I shall in anger curse thee, thy father and that
Brahmana also. For thy fault, I will surely consume them all, and I shall
inflict condign punishment on that foolish father of thine that knoweth not
this transgression of-thine and on that Brahmana who hath bestowed the
mantras on thee without knowing thy disposition and character ! Yonder
are all the celestials in heaven, with Purandara at their head, who are
looking at me with derisive smiles at my being deceived by thee, 0 lady !
Look at those celestials, for thou art now possessed of celestial sight 1
Before this I have endued thee with celestial vision, in consequence of which
thou couldst see me !' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Thereupon the princess beheld the celes-
tials standing in the firmament, each in his proper sphere, even as she saw
before her that highly resplendent deity furnished with rays, viz., Surya
himself. And beholding them all, the girl became frightened and her face
was suffused with blushes of shame. And then she addressed Surya, saying,
'O lord of rays, go thou back to thy own region. On account of my maiden-
hood, this outrage of thine is fraught with woe to me ! It is only one's
father, mother, and other superiors, that are capable of giving away their
daughter's body. Virtue I shall never sacrifice, seeing that in this world
the keeping of their persons inviolate is deemed as the highest duty of
women, and is held in high regard ! 0 thou possessed of wealth of splen-
dour, it is only to test the power of my mantras that I have, from mere
childishness, summoned thee. Considering that this hath been done by a
girl of tender years, it behoveth thee, 0 lord, to forgive her !' Then Surya
said, 'It is because I consider thee a girl that, 0 Kunti, I am speaking to
thee so mildly. To one that is not so I would not concede this. Do thou,
0 Kunti, surrender thyself ! Thou shalt surely attain happiness thereby.
Since, 0 timid maiden, thou hast invoked me with mantras^ it is not pro-
per for me to go away without any purpose being attained, for, if I do so
1 shall then, 0 thou of faultless limbs, be the object of laughter in the
world, and, 0 beauteous damsel, a bye- word with all the celestials. Do
thou, therefore, yield to me ! By that thou shalt obtain a son even like
myself, and thou shalt also be much praised in all the world.' '
83
SECTION CCCV
(Kundala-harana Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Although that noble girl addressed him in vari-
ous sweet words, yet she was unable to dissuade that deity of a thousand
rays. And when she failed to dissuade the dispeller of darkness, at last
from fear of a curse, she reflected, 0 king, for a long time ! — 'How may
my innocent father, and that Brahmana also, escape the angry Surya's
ourse for my sake ? Although energy and asceticism are capable of destroy-
ing sins, yet even honest persons, if they be of unripe age, should not
foolishly court them. By foolishly acting in that way I have today been
placed in a frightful situation. Indeed, I have been placed entirely within
the grasp of this deity. Yet how can I do what is sinful by taking it on
myself to surrender my person to him ?"
Vaisampayana continued, "Afflicted with fear of a curse, and think-
ing much within herself, an utter stupefaction of the senses came upon her.
And she was so confounded that she could not settle what to do. Afraid,
on the one hand, 0 king, of the reproach of friends if she obeyed the deity,
and, on the other, of his curse if she disobeyed him, the damsel at last, 0
foremost of kings, said these words unto that god, in accents tremulous
with bashfulness, '0 god, as my father and mother and friends are still
living, this violation of duty on my part should not take place. If, 0 god,
I commit this unlawful act with thee, the reputation of this race shall be
sacrificed in this world on my account. If thou, however, O thou foremost
of those that impart heat, deem this to be a meritorious act, I shall then
fulfil thy desire even though my relatives may not have bestowed me on
thee ! May I remain chaste after having surrendered my person to thee !
Surely, the virtue, the reputation, the fame, and the life of every creature
are established in thee !' Hearing these words of hers, Surya replied,
'O thou of sweet smiles, neither thy father, nor thy mother, nor any other
superior of thine, is competent to give thee away ! May good betide thee,
O beauteous damsel ! Do thou listen to my words ! It is because a virgin
desireth the company of every one, that she hath received the appelliation
of Kanya, from the root kama meaning to desire. Therefore, 0 thou of
excellent hips and the fairest complexion, a virgin is, by nature, free in this
world. Thou shalt not, O lady, by any means be guilty of any sin by
complying with my request. And how can I, who am desirous of the wel-
fare of all creatures, commit an unrighteous act ? That all men and women
should be bound by no restraints, is the law of nature. The opposite
condition is the perversion of the natural state. Thou shalt remain a virgin
after having gratified me. And thy son shall also be mighty-armed and
illustrious.' Thereupon Kunti said, 'If, 0 dispeller of darkness, I obtain
a son from thee, may he be furnished with a coat of mail and ear-rings, and
may he be mighty-armed and endued with great strength !' Hearing these
VANA PAEVA 651
words of hers, Surya answerecU *O gentle maiden, thy son shall be mighty-
armed and decked with ear-rings and a celestial coat of mail. And both his
ear-rings and coat of mail will be made of Amrita, and his coat will also be
invulnerable.' Kunti then said, 'if the excellent mail and ear-rings of the
son thou wilt beget on me, be, indeed, made of Amrita, then, O god, O
worshipful deity, let thy purpose be fulfilled ! May he be powerful, strong,
energetic, and handsome, even like thee, and may he also be endued with
virtue !' Surya then said, '0 princess, O excellent damsel, these ear-rings
had been given to me by Aditi. O timid lady, I will bestow them, as also
this excellent mail, on thy son !' Kunti then said, 'Very well, O worship-
ful one ! If my son, 0 lord of light, become so, I will, as thou sayest,
gratify thee !' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these words of hers Surya said,
'So be it !' And that ranger of the skies, that enemy of Swarbhanu, with
soul absorbed in Yoga, entered into Kunti, and touched her on the navel.
At this, that damsel, on account of Surya's energy, became stupefied. And
that reverend lady then fell down on her bed, deprived of her senses.
Surya then addressed her, saying, 'I will now depart, 0 thou of graceful
hips ! Thou shalt bring forth a son who will become the foremost of all
wielders of weapons. At the same time thou shalt remain a virgin.' "
Yaisampayana continued, "Then, 0 foremost of kings, as the highly
effulgent Surya was about to depart, that girl bashfully said unto him,
'So be it !' And it was thus that the daughter of king Kuntibhoja, impor-
tuned by Surya, had after soliciting a son from him, fallen down stupefied
on that excellent bed, like a broken creeper. And it was thus that deity
of fierce rays, stupefying her, entered into her by virtue of Yoga power, and
placed his own self within her womb. The deity, however, did not sully
her by deflowering her in the flesh. And after Surya had gone away, that
girl regained her consciousness."
SECTION CCCVI
(Kundala-harana Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "It was, 0 lord of earth, on the first day of the
lighted fortnight during the tenth month of the year that Pritha conceived
a son like the lord himself of the stars in the firmament. And that damsel
of excellent hips, from fear of her friends, concealed her conception, so
that no one knev? her condition. And as the damsel lived entirely in the
apartments assigned to the maidens and carefully concealed her condition,
no one except her nurse knew the truth. And in due time that beauteous
maiden, by the grace of deity, brought forth a son resembling a very god.
And even like his father, the child was equipped in a coat of mail, and
decked with brilliant ear-rings. And he was possessed of leonine eyes and
shoulders like those of a bull. And no sooner was the beauteous girl deli-
vered of a child, then she consulted with her nurse and placed the infant
652 MAHABHAEATA
in a commodious and smooth box made of wicker work and spread over with
soft sheets and furnished with a costly pillow. And its surface was laid
over with wax, and it was encased in a rich cover. And with tears in her
eyes, she carried the infant to the river Aswa, and consigned the basket to
its waters. And although she knew it to be improper for an unmarried girl
to bear offspring, yet from parental affection, O foremost of kings, she
wept piteously. Do thou listen to the words Kunti weepingly uttered, while
consigning the box to the waters of the river Aswa, O child, may good
betide thee at the hands of all that inhabit the land, the water, the sky, and
the celestial regions. May all thy paths be auspicious ! May no one
obstruct thy way ! And, O son, may all that come across thee have their
hearts divested of hostility towards thee ! And may that lord of waters,
Varuna, protect thee in water ! And may the deity that rangeth the skies
completely protect thee in the sky. And may, O son, that best of those
that impart heat, viz., Surya, thy father, and from whom I have obtained
thee as ordained by Destiny, protect thee everywhere ! And may the Adityas
and the Vasus, the Eudras and the Sadhyas, the Viswadevas and the Maruts,
and the cardinal points with the great Indra and the regents presiding over
them, and, indeed, all the celestials, protect thee in every place ! Even
in foreign lands I shall be able to recognise thee by this mail of thine !
Surely, thy sire, 0 son, the divine Surya possessed of the wealth of splen-
dour, is blessed, for he will with his celestial sight behold thee going down
the current ! Blessed also is that lady who will, 0 thou that are begotten
by a god, take thee for her son, and who will give thee suck when thou art
thirsty ! And what a lucky dream hath been dreamt by her that will adopt
thee for her son, thee that is endued with solar splendour, and furnished
with celestial mail, and adorned with celestial ear-rings, thee that hast
expansive eyes resembling lotuses, a complexion bright as burnished copper
or lotus leaves, a fair forehead, and hair ending in beautiful curls ! 0 son,
she that will behold thee crawl on the ground, begrimmed with dust, and
sweetly uttering inarticulate words, is surely blessed ! And she also, O son,
that will behold thee arrive at thy youthful prime like smaned lion born
in Himalayan forests, is surely blessed !' "
"0 king, having thus bewailed long and piteously, Pritha laid the
basket on the waters of the river Aswa. And the lotus-eyed damsel, afflicted
with grief on account of her son and weeping bitterly, with her nurse cast
the basket at dead of night, and though desirous of beholding her son often
and again, returned, O monarch, to the palace, fearing lest her father should
come to know of what had happened. Meanwhile, the basket floated from
the river Aswa to the river Charmanwati, and from the Charmanwati it
passed to the Yamuna, and so on to the Ganga. And carried by the waves
of the Ganga, the child contained in the basket came to the city of Champa
ruled by a person of the Suta tribe. Indeed, the excellent coat of mail and
those ear-rings made of Amrita that were born with his body, as also the
ordinance of Destiny, kept the child alive."
SECTION CCCVII
(Kundala-harana Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "And it came to pass that at this time a Suta
named Adhiratha, who was a friend of Dhritarashtra, came to the river
Ganga, accompanied by his wife. And, 0 king, his wife named Eadha was
unparalleled on earth for beauty. And although that highly blessed dame
had made great endeavours to obtain a son, yet she had failed, O represser
of foes, to obtain one. And on coming to the river Ganga, she beheld a box
drifting along the current. And containing articles capable of protecting
from dangers and decked with unguents, that box was brought before her
by the waves of the Janhavi. And attracted by curiosity, the lady caused
it to be seized. And she then related all unto Adhiratha of the charioteer
caste. And hearing this Adhiratha took away the box from the water-side,
and opened it by means of instruments. And then he beheld a boy resem-
bling the morning Sun. And the infant was furnished with golden mail,
and looked exceedingly beautiful with a face decked in ear-rings. And
thereupon the charioteer, together with his wife, was struck with such
astonishment that their eyes expanded in wonder. And taking the infant
on his lap, Adhiratha said unto his wife, 'Ever since I was born, O timid
lady, I had never seen such a wonder. This child that hath come to us
must be of celestial birth. Surely, sonless as I am, it is the gods that have
sent him unto me !' Saying this, 0 lord of earth, he gave the infant to
Eadha. And thereat, Radha adopted, according to the ordinance, that child
of celestial form and divine origin, and possessed of the splendour of the
filaments of the lotus and furnished with excellent grace. And duly reared
by her, that child endued with great prowess began to grow up. And after
Kama's adoption, Adhiratha had other sons begotten by himself. And
seeing the child furnished with bright mail and golden ear-rings, the twice-
born ones named him Vasusena. And thus did that child endued with great
splendour and immeasurable prowess became the son of the charioteer, and
come to be known as Yasusena and Vrisha. And Pritha learnt through
spies that her own son clad in celestial mail was growing up amongst the
Angas as the eldest son of a charioteer (Adhiratha). And seeing that in
process of time his son had grown up, Adhiratha sent him to the city named
after the elephant. And there Kama put up with Drona, for the purpose of
learning arms. And that powerful youth contracted a friendship with
Duryodhana. And having acquired all the four kinds of weapons from
Drona, Kripa, and Rama, he became famous in the world as a mighty
bowman. And after having contracted a friendship with Dhritarashtra's
son, he became intent on injuring the sons of Pritha. And he was always
desirous of fighting with the high-souled Falguna. And, O king, ever since
they first saw each other. Kama always used to challenge Arjuna, and
Arjuna, on his part, used to challenge him. This, 0 foremost of kings, was
654 MAHABHARATA
without doubt, the secret known to theJSun, viz., begot by himself on Kunti,
Kama was being reared in the race of the Sutas. And beholding him decked
with his oar-rings and mail, Yudhishthira thought him to be unslayable in
fight, and was exceedingly pained at it. And when, 0 foremost of monarchs,
Karna after rising from the water, used at mid-day to worship the effulgent
Surya with joined hands, the Brahmanas used to solicit him for wealth.
And at that time there was nothing that he would not give away to the
twice-born ones. And Indra, assuming the guise of a Brahmana, appeared
before him (at such a time) and said, 'Give me !' And thereupon Eadha's
son replied unto him, 'Thou art welcome !' "
SECTION CCCVIII
(Kundala-harana, Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "And when the king of the celestials presented
himself in the guise of a Brahmana, beholding him, Karna said, 'Welcome !'
And not knowing his intention, Adhiratha's son addressed the Brahmana,
saying, 'Of a necklace of gold, and beauteous damsels, and villages with
plenty of kine, which shall I give thee ?' Thereupon the Brahmana replied,
'I ask thee not to give me either a necklace of gold, or fair damsels, or any
other agreeable object. To those do thou give them that ask for them. If,
0 sinless one, thou art sincere in thy vow, then wilt thou, cutting off (from
thy person) this coat of mail born with thy body, and these ear-rings also,
bestow them on me ! I desire, 0 chastiser of foes, that thou mayst
speedily give me these ; for, this one gain of mine will be considered as
superior to every other gain !' Hearing these words, Karna, said, 'O
Brahmana, I will give thee home-stead land, and fair damsels, and kine,
and fields ; but my mail and ear-rings I am unable to give thee !' "
Vaisampayana continued, 'Although thus urged with various words by
Karna, still, O chief of the Bharata race, that Brahmana did not ask for
any other boon. And although Karna sought to pacify him to the best of
his power, and worshipped him duly, yet that best of Brahmanas did not ask
for any other boon. And when that foremost of Brahmanas did not ask for
any other boon, Eadha's son again spake unto him with a smile, 'My mail,
0 regenerate one, hath been born with my body, and this pair of ear-rings
hath arisen from Amrita. It is for these that I am unslayable in the worlds.
Therefore, I cannot part with them. Do thou, O bull among Brahmanas,
accept from me the entire kingdom of the earth, rid of enemies and full of
prosperity ! 0 foremost of regenerate ones, if I am deprived of my ear-rings,
and the mail born with my body, I shall be liable to be vanquished by the foes !'
Vaisampayana continued, "When the illustrious slayer of Paka refused
to ask for any other boon, Karna with a smile again addressed him, saying,
'O god of gods, even before this, I had recognised thee, 0 Lord ! O Sakra,
it is not proper for me to confer on thee any unprofitable boon, for thou art
the very lord of the celestials 1 On the contrary, being as thou art the
VANA PARVA 655
Creator and lord of all beings, it is thou that shouldst confer boons on me !
If, 0 god, I give thee this coat of mail and ear-rings, then I am sure to meet
with destruction, and thou shalt also undergo ridicule ! Therefore, 0 Sakra,
take my ear-rings and excellent mail in exchange for something conferred
by thee on me ! Otherwise, I will not bestow them on thee !' Thereupon
Sakra replied, 'Even before I had come to thee, Surya had known of my
purpose and without doubt, it is he that hath unfolded everything unto
thee ! O Kama, be it as thou wishest ! O son, except the thunder-bolt
alone, tell me what it is that thou desirest to have I' '
Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these words of Indra, Kama was
filled with delight and seeing that his purpose was about to be accomplished
he approached Vasava, and intent upon obtaining a dart incapable of being
baffled, he addressed Indra, saying, 'Do thou, 0 Vasava, in exchange for
my coat of mail and ear-rings, give me a dart incapable of being baffled,
and competent to destroy hosts of enemies when arrayed in order of battle !'
Thereupon, 0 ruler of earth, fixing his mind for a moment on the dart (for
bringing it there), Vasava thus spake unto Kama, 'Do thou give me thy
ear-rings, and the coat of mail born with thy body, and in return take this
dart on these terms ! When I encounter the Daitya in battle, this dart
that is incapable of being baffled, hurled by my hand, destroyeth enemies
by hundreds, and cometh back to my hand after achieving its purpose. In
thy hand, however, this dart, 0 son of Suta, will slay only one powerful
enemy of thine. And having achieved that feat, it will, roaring and blazing,
return to me !' Thereat Kama said, 'I desire to slay in fierce fight even
one enemy of mine, whoroaroth fiercely and is hot as fire, and of whom I am
in fear !' At this, Indra said, 'Thou shalt slay such a roaring and powerful
foe in battle. But that one whom thou seekest to slay, is protected by an
illustrious personage. Even He whom persons versed in the Vedas call 'the
invincible Boar,' and 'the incomprehensible Narayana' even that Krishna
himself, is protecting him !' Thereupon Kama replied, 'Even if this be so,
do thou, 0 illustrious one give me the weapon that will destroy only one
powerful foe ! I shall, on my part, bestow on thee my mail and ear-rings,
cutting them off my person. Do thou, however, grant that my body, thus
wounded, may not be unsightly !' Hearing this, Indra said, 'As thou, 0
Kama, art bent upon observing the truth, thy person shall not be unsightly,
or shall any scar remain on it. And, O thou best of those that are graced
with speech, 0 Kama, thou shalt be possessed of complexion and energy
of thy father himself. And if, maddened by wrath, thou hurlest this dart,
while there are still other weapons with thee, and when thy life also is not
in imminent peril, it will fall even on thyself.' Kama answered, 'As thou
directest me, O Sakra, I shall hurl this Vasavi dart only when I am in
imminent peril ! Truly I tell thee this !' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Thereupon, 0 king, taking fhe blazing
dart, Karna began to peel off his natural mail. And beholding Kama
656 MAHABHAEATA
cutting his own body, the entire host of celestials and men and Danavas
set up a leonine roar. And Kama betrayed no contortions of face while
peeling his mail. And beholding that hero among men thus cutting his
body with an weapon, smiling over and anon, celestial kettle-drums began
to be played upon and celestial flowers began to be showered on him. And
Kama cutting off the excellent; mail from his person, gave it to Vasava, still
dripping. And cutting off his ear-rings also from off his ears, he made them
over to Indra, And it is for this fact that he came to be called Kama. And
Sakra, having thus beguiled Kama that made him famous in the world,
thought with a smile that the business of the sons of Pandu had already
been completed. And having done all this, he ascended to heaven. And
hearing that Kama had been beguiled, all the sons of Dhritarashtra became
distressed and shorn of pride. And the sons of Pritha, on the other hand,
learning that such plight had befallen the son of the charioteer, were filled
with joy/
Janamejaya said, "When were those heroes, the sons of Pandu, at
that time ? And from whom did they hear this welcome news ? And
what also did they do, when the twelfth year of their exile passed away ?
Do thou, 0 illustrious one, tell me all this ! "
Vaisampayana said, "Having defeated the chief of the Saindhavas,
and rescued Krishna, and having outlived the entire term of their painful
exile in the woods, and having listened to the ancient stories about gods
and Rishis recited by Markandeya, those heroes among men returned from
their asylum in Kamyaka to the sacred Dwaitavana, with all their cars, and
followers, and accompanied by their charioteers, their kine, and the citizens
who had followed them."
SECTION CCOIX
(Araneya Parva)
Janamejaya said, "Having felt great affliction on account of the
abduction of their wife and having rescued Krishna thereafter, what did the
Pandavas next do ?"
Yaisampayana said, "Having felt great affliction on account of the
abduction of Krishna, king "Xudhishthira of unfading glory, with his
brothers, left the woods of Kamyaka and returned to the delightful and
picturesque Dwaitavana abounding in trees and containing delicious fruits
and roots. And the sons of Pandu with their wife Krishna began to reside
there, living frugally on fruits and practising rigid vows. And while those
repressers of foes, the virtuous king Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, and
Bhimasena, and Arjuna, and those other sons of Pandu born of Madri, were
dwelling in Dwaitavana, practising rigid vows, they underwent, for
the sake of a Brahmana, great trouble, which, however, was destined
to bring about their future happiness. I will tell thee all about the
trouble which those foremost of Kurus underwent while living in those
woods, and which in the end brought about their happiness. Do thou
listen to it ! Once on a time, as a deer was butting about, it chanced
that the two sticks for making fire and a churning staff belonging
to a Brahmana devoted to ascetic austerities, struck fast into its
VANA PAKVA 657
antlers. And, thereupon, O king, that powerful deer of exceeding
fleetness with long bounds, speedily went out of the hermitage, taking
those articles away. And, O foremost of Kurus, seeing those articles of
his thus carried away, the Brahmana, anxious on account of his Agni-
hotra, quickly came before the Pandavas. And approaching without
loss of time Ajatasatru seated in that forest with his brothers, the
Brahmana, in great disticss, spake these words, 'As a deer was butting
about, it happened, O king, that my fire-sticks and churning staff which
had been placed against a large tree stuck fast to its antlers. O king,
that powerful deer of exceeding fleetness hath speedily gone out of the
hermitage with long bounds, taking those articles away. Tracking that
powerful deer, O king, by its foot-prints, do ye, ye sons of Pandu, bring
back those articles of mine, so that my Agmhotra may not be stopped !'
Hearing these words of the Brahmana, Yudhishthira became exceedingly
concerned. And the son of Kunti taking up his bow sallied out with his
brothers. And putting on their corselets and equipped with their bows,
those bulls among men, intent upon serving the Brahmana, swiftly
sallied out in the wake of the deer. And descrying the deer at no great
distance, those mighty warriors discharged at it barbed arrows and
javelins and darts, but the sons of Pandu could not pierce it by any
means. And as they struggled to pursue and slay it, that powerful deer
became suddenly invisible. And losing sight of the deer, the noble-
minded sons of Pandu, fatigued and disappointed and afflicted with
hunger and thirst, approached a banian tree h. that deep forest, and sat
down in its cool shade. And when they had sat down, Nakula stricken
with sorrow and urged by impatience, addressed his eldest brother of
the Kuru race, saying, 'In our race, O king, virtue hath never been
sacrificed, nor hath there been loss of wealth from insolence. And
being asked, we have never said to any creature, Nay ! Why then in
the present case have we met with this disaster ?"
SECTION CCCX
(Araneya Parva continued)
Yudhishthira said, "There is no limit to calamities. Nor is it
possible to ascertain either their final or efficient cause. It is the Lord
of justice alone who distributeth the fruits of both virtue and vice.'
Thereupon Bhima said, 'Surely, this calamity hath befallen us, because
I did not slay the Pratikamin on the very spot, when he dragged Krishna
as a slave into the assembly. And Arjuna said, 'Surely, this calamity
hath befallen us because I resented not those biting words piercing the
very bones, uttered by the SiUas son !' And Sahadeva said, 'Surely,
O Bharata, this calamity hath befallen us because I did not slay Sakuni
when he defeated thee at dice !' "
84
£$3 MAEABHA&ATA
Vaisampayana continued, 'Then king Yudhishthira addtessed
Nakula saying, 'Do thou, O son of Madri, climb this tree and look
around the ten points of the horizon. Do thou see whether there is
water near us or such trees as grow on watery, grounds ! O child, these
thy brothers are all fatigued and thirsty.' Thereupon saying, 'So be it,*
Nakula speedily climbed up a tree, and having looked around, said unto
his eldest brother, 'O king, I see many a tree that groweth by the
water-side, and I hear also the cries of cranes. Therefore, without
doubt, water must be somewhere here.' Hearing these words, Kunti's
son Yudhishthira, firm in truth, said, 'O amiable one, go thou and fetch
water in these quivers!' Saying, 'So be it,' at the command of his
eldest brother Nakula quickly proceeded towards the place where there
was water and soon came upon it. And beholding a crystal lake
inhabited by cranes he desired to drink of it, when he heard these words
from the sky, 'O child, do not commit this rash act ! This lake hath
already been in my possession. Do thou, O son of Madri, first answer
my questions and then drink of this water and take away (as much as
thou requirest). Nakula, however, who was exceedingly thirsty,
disregarding these words, drank of the cool water, and hav ing drunk of
it, dropped down dead. And, O represser of foes, seeing Nakula' s delay,
Yudhishthira the son of Kunti said unto Sahadeva, the heroic brother
of Nakula, 'O Sahadeva, it is long since our brother, he who was born
immediately before thee, hath gone from hence ! Do thou, therefore, go
and bring back thy uterine brother, together with water.' At this,
Sahadeva, saying, 'So be it,' set out in that direction ; and coming to the
spot, beheld his brother lying dead on the ground. And afflicted at the
death of his brother, and suffering severely from thirst, he advanced
towards the water, when these words were heard by him, 'O child, do
not commit this rash act ! This lake hath already been in my possession.
First answer my question, and then drink of the 'water and take away
as much as thou mayst require.' Sahadeva, however, who was extremely
thirsty, disregarding these words, drank of the water, and having drunk
of it, dropped down dead. Then Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, said
unto Vijaya, It is long since, O Vibhatsu, that thy two brothers have
gone, O represser of foes I Blessed be thou ! Do thou bring them back,
together with water. Thou art, O child, the refuge of us all when
plunged in distress !' Thus addressed, the intelligent Gudakesa, taking
his bow and arrows and also his naked sword, set out for that lake of
waters. And reaching that spot, he whose car was drawn by white
steeds beheld those tigers among men/his two younger brothers who had
come to fetch water, lying dead there. And seeing them as if asleep,
that lion among men, exceedingly aggrieved, raised his bow and began
to look around that wood. But he found none in that mighty forest.
VANA PARVA 659
And, being fatigued, he who was capable of drawing the bow by his
left hand as well, rushed in the direction of the water. And as he was
rushing (towards the water), he heard these words from the sky, 'Why
dost thou approach this water ? Thou shalt not be able to drink of it
by force. If thou, O Kaunteya, can answer the question I will put to
thee, then only shalt thou drink of the water and take away as much as
thou requirest, O Bharata !' Thus forbidden, the son of Pritha said,
'Do thou forbid me by appearing before me ! And when thou shalt be
sorely pierced with my arrows, thou wilt not then again speak in this
way ! Having said this, Partha covered all sides with arrows inspired
by mantras' And he also displayed his skill in shooting at an invisible
mark by sound alone. And, O bull of the Bharata race, sorely afflicted
with thirst, he discharged barbed darts and javelins and iron arrows,
and showered on the sky innumerable shafts incapable of being baffled.
Thereupon, the invisible Yaksha said, What need of all this trouble,
O son of Pritha ? Do thou drink only after answering my questions !
If thou drink, however, without answering my questions, thou shalt
die immediately after.' Thus addressed, Pritha's son Dhananjaya
capable of drawing the bow with his left hand as well, disregarding
those words, drank of the water, and immediately after dropped down
dead. And (seeing Dhananjaya's delay) Kunti's son Yudhishthira
addressed Bhimasena, saying, 'O represser of foes, it is a long while that
Nakula and Sahadeva and Vibhatsu have gone to fetch water, and they
have not come yet, O Bharata ! Good betide thee ! Do thou bring
them back, together with water !' Thereupon saying, 'So be it,' Bhimasena
set out for that place where those tigers among men, his brothers, lay
dead. And beholding them, Bhima afflicted though he was with thirst,
was exceedingly distressed. And that mighty armed hero thought all
that to have been the act of some Yaksha or Rakshasa. And Pritha's
son Vrikodara thought, 1 shall surely have to fight today. Let me
therefore, first appease my thirst.' Then that bull of the Bharata race
rushed forward with the intention of drinking. Thereupon the Yaksha
said, 'O child, do not commit this rash act ! This lake hath already
been in my possession Do thou first answer my questions, and then
drink and take away as much water as thou requirest !' "
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by that Yaksha of
immeasurable energy, Bhima, without answering his questions, drank of
the water. And as soon as he drank, he fell down dead on the spot.
Then thinking that his brothers had left him long since, Yudhishthira
waited for some time. And the king said unto himself again and again,
'Why is it that the two sons of Madri are delaying ? And why doth
the wielder also of the Gandiva delay ? And why doth Bhima too,
endued with great strength, delay ? I shall go to search for them !'
660 MAHABHAEATA
And resolved to do this, the mighty-armed Yudhishthira then rose up,
his heart burning in grief. And that bull among men, the royal son of
Kunti thought within himself. Is this forest under some malign
influence ? Or, is it infested by some wicked beasts ? Or, have they
all fallen, in consequence of hav ing disregarded some mighty being ?
Or, not finding water in the spot whither those heroes had first repaired,
they have spent all this time in search through the forest ? What is
that reason for which those bulls among men do not come back ?' And
speaking in this strain, that foremost of monarchs, the illustrious
Yudhishthira, entered into that mighty forest where no human sound
was heard and which was inhabited by deer and bears and birds, and
which was adorned with trees that were bright and green, and which
echoed with the hum of :he black-bee and the notes of winged warblers.
As he was proceeding along, he beheld that beautiful lake which looked
as if it had been made by the celestial artificer himself. And it was
adorned with flowers of a golden hue and with lotuses and Sindhuvars.
And it abounded with canes and Ketakas and Karaviras and Pippalas,
and fatigued with toil, Yudhishthira saw that tank and was struck with
wonder."
SECTION CCCXI
(Araneya Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "Yudhishthira saw his brothers, each possessed
of the glory of Indra himself, lying dead like the Regents of the world
dropped from their spheres at the end of the Yuga. And beholding
Arjuna lying dead, with his bow and arrows dropped on the ground,
and also Bhimasena and the twins motionless and depriv ed of life, the
king breathed a hot and long sigh, and was bathed in tears of grief.
And beholding his brothers lying dead, the mighty armed son of Dharma
with heart racked in anxiety, began to lament profusely, saying, 'Thou
hadst, O mighty-armed Vrikodara, vowed, saying, — I shall with mace
smash the thighs of Duryodhana in battle ! O enhancer of the glory of the
Kurus, in thy death, O mighty- armed and high -sou led one, all that hath
become fruitless now ! The promises of men may be ineffectual ; but
why have the words of the gods uttered in respect of thee been thus
fruitless ? O Dhananjaya, while thou wert in thy mother's lying-in-
room, the gods had said, — 0 Kunti, this thy son shall not be inferior to him
of a thousand eyes ! And in the northern Paripatra mountains, all beings
had sung, saying, — The prosperity (of this race), robbed by foes will be
recovered by this one without delay. No one loill be able to vanquish him in
battle, ivhile there will be none ivhom he will not be able to vanquish. Why
then hath that Jishnu endued with great strength been subject to
death ? Oh, why doth that Dhananjaya, relying on whom we had
VANA PAEVA 661
hitherto endured all this misery, lie on the ground blighting1 all my
hopes ! Why hav e those heroes, those mighty sons of Kunti, Bhimasena
and Dhananjaya, came under the power of the enemy, — those who
themselves always slew their foes, and whom no weapons could resist !
Surely, this vile heart of mine must be made of adamant, since, beholding
these twins lying to-day on the ground it doth not split ! Ye bulls
among men, versed in holy writ and acquainted with the properties of
time and place, and endued with ascetic merit, ye who duly performed
all sacred rites, why lie ye down, without performing acts deserving of
you ? Alas, why lie ye insensible on the earth, with your bodies un-
wounded, ye unvanquished ones, and with your vows untouched ? And
beholding his brothers sweetly sleeping there as (they usually did) on
mountain slopes, the high souled king, overwhelmed with grief and
bathed in sweat, came to a distressful condition. And saying, — It is
even so — that virtuous lord of men, immersed in an ocean of grief
anxiously proceeded to ascertain the cause (of that catastrophe). And
that mighty-armed and high-souled one, acquainted with the divisions
of time and place, could not settle his course of action. Having thus
bewailed much in this strain, the virtuous Yudhishthira, the son of
Dliarma or Tapa, restrained his soul and began to reflect in his mind as
to who had slain those heroes. There are no strokes of weapons upon
these, nor is any one's foot-print here. The being must be mighty I ween,
by whom my brothers have been slain. Earnestly shall I ponder over
this, or, let me first drink of the water, and then know all. It may be
that the habitually crooked-minded Duryodhana hath caused this
water to be secretly placed here by the king of the Gandharvas. What
man of sense can trust wicked wight of evil passions with whom
good and evil are alike ? Or, perhaps, this may be an act of that wicked-
souled one through secret messengers of his.' And it was thus that
that highly intelligent one gave way to diverse reflections. He did not
believe that water to have been tainted with poison, for though dead
no corpse-like pallor was on them. 'The colour on the faces of these
my brothers hath not faded !' And it was thus that Yudhishthira
thought. And the king continued, 'Each of these foremost of men
was like unto a mighty cataract. Who, therefore, save Yama himself
who in due time bringeth about the end of all things, could have baffled
them thus.' And hav ing concluded this for certain, he began to perform
his ablutions in that lake. And while he descended into it, he heard these
words from the sky, uttered by the Yaksha, — *I am a crane, living on
tiny fish. It is by. me that thy younger brothers have been brought
under the sway of the lord of departed spirits. If, thou, O prince,
answer not the questions put by me, even thou shalt number the fifth
1 Samhritya— killing— T.
662 MAHABHAEATA
corpse. Do not, O child, "act rashly ! This lake hath already been in
my possession. Having answered my questions first, do thou, O Kunti's
son, drink and carry away (as much as thou requirest) f Hearing these
words, Yudhishthira said, 'Art thou the foremost of the Rudras, or of
the Vasus, or of the Marutas ? I ask, what god art thou ? This could
not have been done by a bird ! Who is it that hath overthrown the
four mighty mountains, viz., the Himavat, the Paripatra, the Vindhya,
and the Malaya ? Great is the feat done by thee, thou foremost of
strong persons ! Those whom neither gods, nor Gandharvas nor Asuras,
nor Rakshasas could endure in mighty conflict, have been slain by thee !
Therefore, exceedingly wonderful is the deed done by thee ! I do not
know what thy business may be, nor do I know thy purpose. Therefore,
great is the curiosity and fear also that have taken possession of me ?
My mind is greatly agitated, and as my head also is aching, I ask thee,
therefore, O worshipful one, who art thou that stayest here ?' Hearing
these words the Yaksha said, 'I am, good betide thee, a Yaksha, and
not an amphibious bird. It is by me that all these brothers of thine,
endued with mighty prowess, have been slain !'
Vaisampayana continued,' 'Hearing these accursed words couched
in harsh syllabus, ' Yudhishthira, O king, approaching the Yaksha who
had spoken then, stood there. And that bull among the Bharatas
then beheld that Yaksha of unusual eyes and huge body tall like a
palmyra-palm and looking like fire or the Sun, and irresistible and
gigantic like a mountain, staying on a tree, and uttering a loud roar
deep as that of the clouds. And the Yaksha said, 'These thy brothers,
O king, repeatedly forbidden by me, would forcibly take away water.
It is for this that they have been slain by me! He that wisheth to
live, should not, O king, drink this water ! O son of Pritha,
act not rashly ! This lake . hath already been in my possession.
Do thou, O son of Kunti, first answer my questions, and then
take away as much as thou likest !' Yudhishthira said, 'I do not,
O Yaksha, covet, what is already in thy possession! O bull among
male beings, virtuous persons never approve that one should applaud
his own self, (without boasting, I shall, therefore, answer thy
questions, according to my intelligence). Do thou ask me !' The Yaksha
then said, 'What is it that maketh the Sun rise ? Who keeps him
company ? Who causeth him to set ? And in whom is he established ?'
Yudhishthira answered, 'Brahma maketh the Sun rise : the gods keep
him company : Dharma causeth him to set : and he is established in
truth.2 The Yaksha asked, 'By what doth one become learned ? By
1 Lit. Letters— T.
2 Behind the plain and ot>viou« meanings of the words employed both
in the question and the answer, there is a deeper signification of a spiritual
VANA PAKVA 663
what doth he attain what is very great ? How can one hive a second ?
And, O king, how can one acquire intelligence ?' Yudhishthira
answered, 'It is by the (study of the) Srutis that a person becometh
learned : it is by ascetic austerities that one acquireth what is very
great : it is by intelligence that a person acquireth a second and it is by
serving the old that one becometh wise.'1 The Yaksha asked,
'What constituteth the divinity of the Brahmanas ? What even
is their practice that is like that of the pious ? What also is the
human attribute of the Brahmanas ? And what practice of theirs is
like that of the impious ?' Yudhishthira answered, 'The study of the
Vedas constitutes their divinity : their asceticism constitutes behaviour
that is like that of the pious : their liability to death is their human
attribute and slander is their impiety.' The Yaksha asked, What
institutes the divinity of the Kshatriyas ? What even is their practice
that is like that of the pious ? What is their human attribute ? And
what practice of theirs is like that of the impious ?' Yudhishthira
answered, 'Arrows and weapons are their divinity : celebration of
sacrifices is that act which is like that of the pious : liability to fear is
their human attribute ; and refusal of protection is that act of theirs
which is like that of the impious.' The Yaksha asked, 'What is that
which constitutes the Sama of the sacrifice ? What the Yajus of the
sacrifice ? What is that which is the refuge of a sacrifice ? And
what is that which sacrifice cannot do without ?' Yudhishthira
answered, 'Life is the Sama of the sacrifice : the mind is the Yajus of
the sacrifice : the Riic is that which is the refuge of the sacrifice ; and it
kind. I think Nilakantha has rightly understood the passage. By Aditya,
which of course commonly means the Sun, is indicated the unpunfied soul
(from adatte sabdadin indriadivis &c.). The first question then, becomes,
'Who is it that exalteth the uapurified soul ?' Tha act of exaltation implies
a raising of the soul from its earthly connections. The answer to this is,
'Brahma, i.e., Veda or self-knowledge.' The second question — 'What are
those that keep company with the soul during its progress of purification ?'
The answer is, Self-restraint and other qualities, which are all of a god-like
or divine nature.' The third question is, — Who lead the soul to its place
(state) of rest ? The answer is, Dharma, i.e., restitude, morality, and
religious observances.' It is often asserted that one must pass through the
observances (Karma) before attaining to a state of Eest or Truth or Pure
Knowledge. The last question is, — 'On what is the soul established !' The
answer, according to all that has been previously said, is 'Truth or Puro
Knowledge.' For the soul that is emancipated from and raised above all
carnal connections, is no longer in need, of observances and acts (Karma)
bnt stays unmoved in True Knowledge (Jnana). — T.
1 Nilakantha explains both Dhriti and Dwitiya in a spiritual sense.
There is no noed, however, ot a spiritual explanation here. By Dhriti is
meant steadiness of intelligence ; by Dwitiya lit, a second. What Yudhish-
thira says is that a steady intelligence serves the purposes of a helpful
companion. — T.
664 MAHABHAEATA
is Bik alone which sacrifice cannot do without.'1 The Yaksha asked,
'What is of the foremost value to those that cultivate ? What is of
the foremost value to those that sow ? What is of the foremost value
to those that wish for prosperity in this world ? And what is of the
foremost value to those that bring forth ?' Yudhishthira answered,
'That which is of the foremost value to those that cultivate is rain : that
of the foremost value to those that sow is seed : that of the foremost
value to those that bring forth is off spring.2' The Yaksha asked, 'What
person, enjoying all the objects of the senses, endued with intelligence,
regarded by the world and liked by all beings, though breathing, doth
not offer anything to these five, viz., gods, guests, servants, Pitris, and
himself, though endued with breath, is not yet alive.' The Yaksha asked,
'What is weighter than the earth itself ? What is higher than the
heavens ?' What is fleeter than the wind ? And what is more numerous
than grass ?' Yudhishthira answered, 'The mother is weightier than
the earth : the father is higher than the heaven : the mind is fleeter
than the wind : and our thoughts are more numerous than grass.' The
Yaksha asked, 'What is that which doth not close its eyes while
asleep : What is that which doth not move after birth ? What is that
which is without heart ? And what is that which swells with its own
impetus ?' Yudhishthira answered, 'A fish doth not close its eyes while
asleep : an egg doth not move after birth : a stone is without heart : and
a river swelleth with its own impetus.' The Yaksha asked, 'Who
is the friend of the exile ? Who is the friend of the house-
holder ? Who is the friend of him that ails ? And who is the
friend of one about to die ?' Yudhishthira answered, 'The friend of
the exile in a distant land is his companion, the friend of the house-
1 Nilakantha explains this correctly, as I imagine, by supposing that
by 'sacrifice' is meant the spiritual sacrifice for the acquisition of pure
knowledge. In the objective sacrifice which one celebrates, the Sama, the
Yajus, and the Eik mantras are all necessary. In the subjective sacrifice
the acquisition of true knowledge, life and mind are as necessary as the
mantras from the Sama and the Yajus Vedas in an objective one. And as
no objective sacrifice can do without the Eiks, being principally dependant
on them, so the subjective sacrifices for acquiring true knowledge can never
do without prayerfulness, which, I imagine, is represented as the Eiks.
To understand this passage thoroughly would require an intimate acquain-
tance with the ritual of a sacrifice like the Agnishtoma or any other of that
kind.— T.
2 Some texts road apatatam foruvapatam. If the former be the correct
reading, the meaning would be — 'What is the best of things that fall ?'
Nilakantha explains both avapatam nivapatam in a spiritual sense. By the
first he understands — 'They that offer oblation to the gods,' and by the
second, 'They that offer oblations to the Pitris.' The necessity of a spiri-
tual interpretation, however, is not very apparent. — T.
VANA PAEVA 678
holder is the wife : the friend of him that ails is the physician : and the
friend of him about to die is charity. The Yaksha asked, — 'Who is the
guest of all creatures ? What is the eternal duty ? What, O foremost
of kings, is Amrita ? And what is this entire Universe ?' Yudhishthira
answered,— 'Agni is the guest of all creatures : the milk of kine is amrita:
Homa (therewith) is the eternal duty : and this Universe consists of air
alone.'1 The Yaksha asked, — 'What is that which sojourneth alone ?
What is that which is re-born after its birth ? What is the remedy
against cold ? And what is the largest field ?' Yudhishthira answered,—
'The sun sojourneth alone : the moon takes birth anew : fire is the
remedy against cold : and the Earth is the largest field.' The Yaksha
asked,— 'What is the highest refuge of virtue ? What of fame ? What
of heaven ? And what, of happiness?' Yudhishthira answered,—
'Liberality is the highest refuge of virtue : gift, of fame : truth, of
heaven : and good behaviour, of happiness. The Yaksha asked,— 'What
is the soul of man ? Who is that friend bestowed on man by the gods ?
What is man's chief support? And what also is his chief refuge?'
Yudhishthira answered,— .'The son is a man's soul : the wife is the
friend bestowed on man by the gods : the clouds are his chief support :
and gift is his chief refuge.' The Yaksha asked, — 'What is the best of
all laudable things ? What is the most valuable of all his possessions ?
What is the best of all gains ? And what is the best of all kinds of
happiness ?' Yudhishthira answered, —"The best of all laudable things is
skill : the best of all possessions is knowledge : the best of all gains is
health : and contentment is the best of all kinds of happiness.' The
Yaksha asked,— 'What is the highest duty in the world ? What is that
virtue which always beareth fruit ? What is that which if controlled,
leadeth not to regret ? And who are they with whom an alliance cannot
break ?' Yudhishthira answered, — 'The highest of duties is to refrain
from injury : the rites ordained in the Three (Vedas) always bear fruit :
the mind, if controlled, leadeth to no regret : and an alliance with the
good never breaketh.' The Yaksha asked,— 'What is that which, if
renounced, maketh one agreeable ? What is that which, if renounced,
leadeth to no regret ? What is that which, if renounced, maketh one
wealthy ? And what is that which if renounced, maketh one happy ?'
Yudhishthira answered, — 'Pride, if renounced, maketh one agreeable:
wrath, if renounced leadeth to no regret : desire, if renounced, maketh
one wealthy : and avarice, if renounced, maketh one happy.' The Yaksha
asked, — 'For what doth one give away to Brahmanas ? For what to
mimes and dancers ? For what to servants ? And for what to king ?'
Yudhishthira answered,— 'It is for religious merit that one giveth away
1 Yudhishthira has the authority of the Srutis for saying that the one
pervading element of the universe is air.— T.
85
674 MAHABHABATA
to Brahmanas : it is for fame that one giveth away to mimes and dan-
cers : it is for supporting them that one giveth away to servants : and
it is for obtaining relief from fear that one giveth to kings.' The Yaksha
asked, — With what is the world enveloped ? What is that owing to
which a thing cannot discover itself ? For what are friends forsaken ?
And for what doth one fail to go to heaven ?' Yudhishthira answered, —
'The world is enveloped with darkness. Darkness doth not permit a
thing to show itself. It is from avarice that friends are forsaken. And
it is connection with the world for which one faileth to go to heaven/
The Yaksha asked, — 'For what may one be considered as dead ? For
what may a kingdom be considered as dead ? For what may a Sraddha
be considered as dead ? And for what, a sacrifice ?' Yudhishthira
answered, — 'For want of wealth may a man be regarded as dead. A
kingdom for want of a king may be regarded as dead. A Sraddha that
is performed with the aid of a priest that hath no learning may be regar-
ded as dead. And a sacrifice in which there are no gifts to Brahmanas
is dead/ The Yaksha asked,— 'What constitutes the way ? What, hath
been spoken of as water ? What, as food ? And what, as poison ? Tell
us also what is the proper time of a Sraddha, and then drink and take
away as much as thou likest f Yudhishthira answered, — 'They that are
good constitute the way.1 Space hath been spoken of as water.3 The
cow is food.3 A request is poison, And a Brahmana is regarded as the
proper time of a Sraddha.* I do not know what thou mayst think of all
this, O Yaksha ?' The Yaksha asked, — 'What hath been said to be the
sign of asceticism ? And what is true restraint ? What constitutes
forgiveness. And what is shame ?' Yudhishthira answered,— 'Staying
in one's own religion is asceticism : the restraint of the mind is of all
restraints the true one : forgiveness consists in enduring enmity : and
shame, in withdrawing from all unworthy acts.' The Yaksha asked, —
'What, O king is said to be knowledge ? What, tranquility ? What
constitutes mercy ? And what hath been called simplicity ?' Yudhish-
1 The word used in the question is dik, lit, direction. Obviously, of
course, it means in this connection way. Yudhishtbira answers that the
way which one is to tread along is that of the good. — T.
2 The Srutis actually speak of space as water. These are questions to
test Yudhishthira's knowledge of the Vedio cosmogony. — T.
3 The Srutis speak of the cow as the only food, in the following sense.
The cow gives milk. The milk gives butter. The butter is used in Homa.
The Homa is the cause of the clouds. The clouds give rain. The rain
makes the seed to sprout forth and produce food, Nilakantha endeavours to
explain this in a spiritual sense. There is however, no need of such
explanation here. — T.
4 What Yudbishtbira means to say is that there is no special time for
a Sraddha. It is to be performed whenever a good and able priest may be
secured. — T.
VANA PARVA 676
thira answered, — 'True knowledge is that of Divinity. True tranquility
is that of the heart. Mercy consists in wishing happiness to all. And
simplicity is equanimity of heart.' The Yaksha asked, — 'What enemy is
invincible ? What constitutes an incurable disease for man ? What
sort of a man is called honest and what dishonest ?' Yudhishthira answer-
ed,— 'Anger is an invincible enemy. Covetousness constitutes an
incurable disease. He is honest that desires the weal of all creatures,
and he is dishonest who is unmerciful.1 The Yaksha asked, — 'What,
O king, is ignorance ? And what is pride ? What also is to be under-
stood by idleness ? And what hath been spoken of as grief ?' Yudhish-
thira answered, — 'True ignorance consists in not knowing one's duties.
Pride is a consciousness of one's being himself an actor or sufferer in
life. Idleness consists in not discharging one's duties, and ignorance in
grief,' The Yaksha asked, — 'What hath steadiness been said by the
Riahia to be ? And what, patience ? What also is a real ablution ?
And what is charity ?' Yudhishthira answered, — 'Steadiness consists in
one's staying in one's own religion, and true patience consists in the
subjugation of the senses. A true bath consists in washing the mind
clean of all impurities, and charity consists in protecting all crea-
tures.' The Yaksha asked,— 'What man should be regarded as learned,
and who should he called an atheist ? Who also is to be called ignorant ?
What is called desire and what are the sources of desire ? And what
is envy ?' Yudhishthira answered,— 'He is to be called learned who
knoweth his duties. An atheist is he who is ignorant and so also he is
ignorant who is an atheist. Desire is due to objects of possession, and
envy is nothing else than grief of heart/ The Yaksha asked, — 'What is
pride, and what is hypocricy ? What is the grace of the gods, and what
is wickedness ?' Yudhishthira answered, — 'Stolid ignorance is pride.
The setting up of a religious standard is hypocracy. The grace of the
gods is the fruit of our gifts, and wickedness consists in speaking ill of
others.' The Yaksha asked, — 'Virtue, profit, and desire are opposed to
one another. How could things thus antagonistic to one another exist
together ?' Yudhishthira answered, — 'When a wife and virtue agree
with each other, then all the three thou hast mentioned may exist toge-
ther.' The Yaksha asked,— 'O bull of the Bharata race, who is he that
is condemned to everlasting hell ? It behoveth thee to soon answer the
question that I ask !' Yudhishthira answered,— 'He that summoneth a
poor Brahmana promising to make him a gift and then tells him that he
hath nothing to give, goeth to everlasting hell. He also must go to
everlasting hell, who imputes falsehood to the Vtdaa, the scriptures, the
Brahmanas, the gods, and the ceremonies in honour of the Pitria. He also
goeth to everlasting hell who though in possession of wealth, never
giveth away nor enjoyeth himself from avarice, saying, he hath none.' The
676 MAHABHAKATA
Yaksha asked,— 'By what, O king, birth, behaviour, study, or learning
doth a person become a Brahmana ? Tell us with certitude !' Yudhish-
thira answered, — 'Listen, O Yaksha ! It is neither birth, nor study, nor
learning, that is the cause of Brahmanahood, without doubt, it is behavi-
our that constitutes it. One's behaviour should always be well-guarded,
especially by a Brahmana. He who maintaineth his conduct unimpaired,
is never impaired himself, Professors and pupils, in fact, all who study
the scriptures, if addicated to wicked habits, are to be regarded as illi-
terate wretches. He only is learned who performeth his religious duties.
He even that hath studied the four Vedas is to be regarded as a wicked
wreth scarcely distinguishable from a Sudra (if his conduct be not
correct). He only who performeth the Agnihotra and hath his senses
under control, is called a Brahmana !' The Yaksha asked, — 4What doth
one gain that speaketh agreeable words ? What doth he gain that
always acteth with judgment ? What doth he gain that hath many
friends ? And what he» that is devoted to virtue ?' — Yudhishthira
answered, — 'He that speaketh agreeable words becometh agreeable to all.
He that acteth with judgment obtaineth whatever he seeketh. He that
hath many friends liveth happily. And he that is devoted to virtue
obtaineth a happy state (in the next world).' The Yaksha asked, — 'Who
is truly happy ? What is most wonderful ? What is the path ? And
what is tht news? Answer these four questions of mine and let thy
dead brothers revive.* Yudhishthira answered, — 'O amphilbious crea-
ture, a man who cooketh in his own house, on the fifth or the sixth part
of the day, with scanty vegetables, but who is not in debt and who
stirreth not from home, is truly happy. Day after day countless crea-
tures are going to the abode of Yama, yet those that remain behind
believe themselves to be immortal. What can be more wonderful than
this ? Argument leads to no certain conclusion, the Srutis are different
from one another ; there is not even one Rishi whose opinion can be
accepted by all ; the truth about religion and duty is hid in caves:
therefore, that alone is the path along which the great have trod. This
world full of ignorance is like a pan. The sun is fire, the days and nights
are fuel. The months and the seasons constitute the wooden ladle. Time
is the cook that is cooking all creatures in that pan (with such aids) ;
this is the news.' The Yaksha asked,— 'Thou hast, O represser of foes,
truly answered all my questions ! Tell us now who is truly a man, and
what man truly possesseth every kind of wealth,' Yudhishthira answ-
ered,— 'The report of one's good action reacheth heaven and spreadeth
over the earth. As long as that report lasteth, so long is a person to
whom the agreeable, and the disagreeable, weal and woe, the past and
the future, are the same, is said to possess every kind of wealth/ The
Yaksha said,— 'Thou hast, O king truly answered who is a man, and
VANA PABVA 677
what man possesseth every kind of wealth. Therefore, let one only
amongst thy brothers, whom thou mayst wish, get up with life !'
Yudhishthira answered,— 'Let this one that is of darkish hue, whose
eyes are red, who is tall like a large Sola tree, whose chest is broad and
arms long, let this Nakula, O Yaksha, get up with life ! The Yaksha
rejoined, — This Bhimasena is dear unto thee, and this Arjuna also is
one upon whom all of you depend ! Why, then, O king dost thou, wish
a step-brother to get up with his life ! How canst thou, forsaking Bbima
whose strength is equal to that of ten thousand elephants, wish Nakula
to live ? People said that this Bhima was dear to thee. From what
motive then dost thou wish a step-brother to revive ? Forsaking
Arjuna the might of whose arm is worshipped by all the sons of Pandu,
why dost thou wish Nakula to revive ?' Yudhishthira said,— 'If virtue
is sacrificed, he that sacrificeth it, is himself lost. So virtue also cheri-
sheth the cherisher. Therefore taking care that virtue by being
sacrificed may not sacrifice us, I never forsake virtue. Abstention from
injury is the highest virtuei and is, I ween, even higher than the highest
object of attainment. I endeavour to practise that virtue. Therefore,
let Nakula, O Yaksha, revive ! Let men know that the king is always
virtuous 1 I will never depart from my duty. Let Nakula, therefore,
revive ! My father had two wives, Kunti and Madri. Let both of
them have children. This is what I wish. As Kunti is to me, so also
is Madri. There is no difference between them in my eye. I desire to
act equally towards my mothers. Therefore, let Nakula live?' The
Yaksha said, — 'Since abstention from injury is regarded by thee as
higher than both profit and pleasure, therefore, let all thy brothers live,
O bull of Bharata race !"
Thus ends three hundred and eleventh section in the Araneya of
the Vana Prava.
SECTION CCCXII
( Araneya Parva continued )
Vaisampayana continued, — "Then agreeable to the words of the
Yaksha the Pandavas rose up ; and in a moment their hunger and thirst
left them. Thereupon Yudhishthira said, 'I ask thee that art incapable of
being vanquished and that standest on one leg in the tank, what god art
thou, for I cannot take thee for a Yaksha ! Art thou the foremost of the
Vasus, or of the Rudras, or of the chief of the Maruts ? Or art thou the
lord himself of the celestials, wielder of the thunder-bolt? Each of these
my brothers is capable of fighting as hundred thousand warriors, and I
see not the warrior that can slay them all ! I see also that their senses
have refreshed, as if they have sweetly awaked from slumber. Art
thou a friend of ours, or even our father himself ? At this the Yaksha
678 MAHABHABATA
replied, — 'O child, I am even thy father, the Lord of justice, possessed
of great prowess ! Know, bull of the Bharata race, that I came hither
desirous of beholding thee ! Fame, truth, self-restraint, purity, candour,
modesty, steadiness, charity, austerities and Brahmacharya, these are my
body! And abstention from injury, impartiality, peace, penances, sanctity
and freedom from malice are the doors (through which I am accessible).
Thou art always dear to me ! By good luck thou art devoted to the five1;
and by good luck also thou hast conquered the six.2 Of the six, two appear
in the first part of life ; two in the middle part thereof ; and the remain-
ing two at the end, in order to make men repair to the next world, I am,
good betide thee, the lord of justice I I came hither to test thy merit. I am
well-pleased to witness thy harmlessness; and, O sinless one, I will confer
boons on thee. Do thou, O foremost of kings, ask of me boons. I shall
surely confer them, O sinless one I Those that revere me, never come
by distress I1 Yudhishthira said, — 'A deer was carrying away the
Brahmana's fire-sticks. Therefore, the first boon that I shall ask, is,
may that Brahmana's adorations to Agni be not interrupted !' The
Yaksha said, — 'O Kunti's son endued with splendour, it was I who for
examinining thee, was carrying away, in the guise of a deer, that
Brahmana's fire-sticks I"
Vaisampayana continued, — "Thereupon that worshipful one said. —
'I give thee this boon 1 Good betide thee ! O thou that are like unto an
immortal, ask thou a fresh boon ! Yudhishthira said, — 'We have spent
these twelve years in the forest ; and the thirteenth year is come. May
no one recognise us, as we spend this year somewhere.'
Vaisampayana continued, — Thereat that worshipful one replied, —
'I give this boon unto thee I* And then reassuring Kunti's son having
truth for prowess, he also said, 'Even if, O Bharata, ye range this
(entire) earth in your proper forms none in the three worlds shall recog-
nise you. Ye perpetuators of the Kuru race, through my grace, 'ye will
spend this thirteenth year, secretly and unrecognised, in Virata's king-
dom ! And every one of you will be able at will to assume any form he
likes 1 Do ye now present the Brahmana with his fire-sticks. It was
only to test you that I carried them away in the form of a deer 1 O
amiable Yudhishthira, do thou ask for another boon that thou mayst
like 1 I will confer it on thee. O foremost of men, I have not yet been
satisfied by granting boons to thee I Do thou my son, accept a third boon
that is great and incomparable 1 Thou, O king, art born of me, and
Vidura of portion of mine I" Thereat Yudhishthira said, — 'It is enough
1 That is, tranquiiifcy of mind, self-restraint, abstention from sensual
pleasures, resignation, and Yoga meditation, — T.
2 That is, hunger, thirst, sorrow, bluntness of mortal feeling, decrepi-
tude, and death. — T.
VANA PABVA 679
that I have beheld thee with my senses, eternal God of gods as thou art 1
O father, whatever boon thou wilt confer on me I shall surely accept
gladly ! May I, O lord, always conquer covetuousness and folly and
anger, and may my mind be ever devoted to charity, truth, and ascetic
austerities 1 The Lord of justice said, — 'Even by nature, O Pandava,
hast thou been endued with these qualities, for thou art the Lord of
justice himself I Do thou again attain what thou asked for !'f
Vaisampayana continued, — "Having said these words, the worshipful
Lord of justice, who is the object of contemplation of all the worlds,
vanished therefrom ; and the high-souled Pandavas after they had slept
sweetly were united with one another. And their fatigue dispelled, those
heroes returned to the hermitage, and gave back that Brahmana his fire-
sticks. That man who pursueth this illustrious and fame-enhancing story
of the revival (of the Pandavas) and the meeting of father and son (Dharma
and Yudhishthira), obtaineth perfect tranquility of mind, and sons and
grandsons, and also a life extending over a hundred years I And the mind
of that man that layeth this story to heart, never delighteth in unrighteous-
ness, or in disunion among friends, or misappropriation of other person's
property, or staining other people's wives, or in foul thoughts 1
Thus ends three hundred and twelfth section in the Araneya of the
Vana Parva,
SECTION CCCXIII
( Araneya Parva continued )
Vaisampayana continued, — "Commanded by the Lord of justice to thus
spend in disguise the thirteenth year of non-discovery, the high-souled
Pandavas, observant of vows and having truth for prowess, sat before
those learned and vow-observing ascetics that from regard were dwelling
with them in their exile in the forest. And with joined hands they said
these words, with the intention of obtaining permission to spend the
thirteenth year in the manner indicated. And they said, 4Ye know well that
the sons of Dhritarashtra have by deceit deprived us of our kingdom,
and have also done us many other wrongs I We have passed twelve
years in the forest in great affliction. The thirteenth year only, which
we are to spend unrecognised, yet remaineth. It behoveth you to permit
us now to spend this year in concealment 1 Those rancorous enemies of
outs Suyodhana, the wicked-minded Kama, and Suvala's son should they
discover us, would do mighty wrong to the citizens and our friends 1
Shall we all with theBrahmanas.be again established in our own kingdom?
Having said this, that pure-spirited son of Dharma king Yudhishthira,
overwhelmed with grief and with accents choked in tears, swooned
away. Thereupon the Brahmanas, together with his brothers began to
cheer him up. Then Dhaumya spake unto the king these words fraught
with mighty meaning, — 'O king, thou art learned and capable of bearing
680 MAHABHABATA
privations, art firm in promise, and of subdued sense I Men of such
stamp are not overwhelmed by any calamity whatever. Even the high-
souled gods themselves have wandered over various places in disguise,
for the purpose of overcoming foes. Indra for the purpose of overcom-
ing his foes, dwelt in disguise in the asylum of Giriprastha, in Nishadha
and thus attained his end. Before taking his birth in the womb of Aditi,
Vishnu for the purpose of destroying the Daityas passed a long time
unrecognised, assuming the form of the Haya-griba (Horse-necked). Then
how disguising himself in the form of a dwarf, he by his prowess
deprived Vali of his kingdom, hath been heard by thee 1 And thou hast
also heard how Huttasana entering into water and remaining in conceal-
ment, achieved the purpose of the gods. And O thou versed in duty,
thou hast heard how Hari with the view of overcoming his foes, entered
into Sakra's thunder-bolt, and lay concealed there. And, O sinless one,
thou hast heard of the office the regenerate Bishi Aurva at one time
performed for the gods, remaining concealed in his mother's womb. And
O child, living in concealment in every part of the earth, Vivaswat,
endued with excellent energy, at last entirely burnt up all his foes. And
living disguised in the abode of Dasaratha, Vishnu of dreadful deeds
slew the Ten-necked one in battle.' Thus remaining in disguise in
various places, high-souled persons have before this conquered their
enemies in battle. Thus cheered by these words of Dhaumya, the virtu-
ous Yudhishthira, relying on his own wisdom and also that acquired
from the scriptures regained his composure. Then that foremost of
strong persons, the mighty-armed Bhimasena endued with great strength
encouraging the king greatly, spake these words, 'Looking up to thy face
(for permission), the weilder of the Qandiva, acting according to his sense
of duty hath not yet, O kingi shown any rashness 1 And although fully
able to destroy the foe, Nakula and Sahadeva of dreadful prowess have
been ever prevented by me 1 Never shall we swerve from that in which
thou wilt engage us 1 Do thou tell us what is to be done ! We shall
speedily conquer our enemies 1 When Bhimasena bad said this, the
Brahmanas uttered benedictions on the Bharatas, and then obtaining their
permission, went to their respective quarters. And all those foremost
of Yatis and Munis versed in the Vedas, exceedingly desirous of again
beholdidg the Pandavas, went back to their homes. And accompanied
by Dhaumya, these heroes, the five learned Pandavas equipped in vows
set out with Krishna. And each versed in a separate science, and all
proficient in mantras and cognisant of when peace was to be concluded
and when war was to be waged those tigers among men, about to enter
upon a life of non-recognition, the next day proceeded for a Krose and
then sat themselves down with the view of taking counsel of each other.
Thus ends the three hundred and thirteenth section in the Araneya
of the Vana Parva.
END OF VANA PARVA
n
-
PK Mahabharata. English
3633 The Mahabharata o^
A2G3 Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa
19— C2d. ed.D
v.3
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